Mark Fine's Blog: AUTHOR 2 AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Authors Mark Fine & Pamela Crane Reveal their Lives in Pursuit of the Art of Writing., page 8
May 1, 2015
AUTHOR READING [Video]: “Hotel Rendezvous” THE ZEBRA AFFAIRE by Mark Fine
More than a daring, multi-racial romance set in a racist South Africa in 1976 on the cusp of abandoning apartheid; the tension is palpable in this character-driven novel. The Zebra Affaire by Mark Fine grips your soul and won’t let go. Never mind zebras, think lions, raw and roar!
“The Zebra Affaire” is a romantic historical drama that fills each page with soul and love, yet serves as a damming condemnation of apartheid South Africa. The novel features two lovers; Elsa a white woman and Stanwell, a black man. A crime in the land of apartheid. This excerpt, read by the author Mark Fine, tells of the couple’s first romantic–but illegal–rendezvous in a plush Johannesburg 5~star hotel.
♥ To buy Kindle edition:
Amazon Worldwide: http://hyperurl.co/i958xl
Amazon USA: http://bit.ly/ZebraAffaireKindle
Website: http://booklaunch.io/mjfine/markfinea…
AUTHOR 2 AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Authors Mark Fine & Pamela Crane Reveal their Lives in Pursuit of the Art of Writing.
Find out what secrets each author reveals in this author-on-author interview between Mark Fine, author of the romantic historical drama The Zebra Affaire, and Pamela Crane, thriller writer of the best-selling The Admirer’s Secret.
Each an admirer of the other’s work, here are pictures of Pamela and Mark “presenting” each others respective novels:
A coin is flipped and Pamela agrees to be first questioned by Mark…
Mark: What inspired you to start writing your first novel, and what was your goal for it?
Pamela: My debut novel, The Admirer’s Secret, was initially therapy. I had endured a horrifying experience with a stalker, and my “inspiration” was to get through my own trauma, since the book was based on real events and real psychological disorders that I lived through. The reality is that so many people suffer from mental illness and don’t know it, but there is hope and there are treatment options out there, and writing my book was one such treatment.
Mark: The balance of busy family life juxtaposed to the needed solitary of writing is a writer’s conundrum. Where, when, and how do you get time to write?
Pamela: I’m a mother of three (with a fourth on the way) who runs a horse rescue while being a full-time editor on the side. To say life gets in the way of writing is an understatement. But writing releases a pressure valve in me, so I find a way to fit it in. What works best for me is to plan a writing retreat, since writing a little each day is impossible with my schedule. My longsuffering husband watches the kids, then I take off work and escape, usually to our RV in the backyard (think Cousin Eddie’s broken-down RV inNational Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation) where I take a weekend or longer to write, write, write all day, every day. I often need a couple of these focused getaways to finish a book, but eventually I cross the finish line.
Mark: Did you learn anything that surprised you when writing your book, whether from the research or the actual writing process?
Pamela: As a thriller writer, psychos often come with the territory. In order to deeply understand my characters, I research psychological disorders, which means I’m always learning something new about the way the brain works. In A Secondhand Life, I shed light on a scientific phenomenon called “organ memory,” which is a theory that organs have cellular memory. The idea came from a friend of mine who experienced odd memories that weren’t his own after receiving a lung transplant. I never realized that organ memory was real until I researched case studies. It’s quite fascinating to think about literally living in another person’s shoes while also wearing your own!
Mark: Do you have any future books in the works?
Pamela: Does a writer ever stop writing? Never! I’m excited to announce that the sequel to A Secondhand Life is in the works and should be out in late 2015. Using hidden clues left behind by a young murder victim, the story uncovers the details of what put a man—the character Landon’s father—wrongfully behind bars for a murder he didn’t commit.
Mark: Are your character relationships based on real relationships, or have they purely evolved from your imagination?
Pamela: My husband is the canvas on which I draw all of my romantic literary relationships. In A Secondhand Life, Mia and Brad have a strained relationship that eventually unfolds into a deeper love that wins against all odds. In a similar way, it took ten years of being torn in different directions, with obstacles pulling us apart at every turn, before my husband and I took a leap of faith to grasp our happily ever after and finally be together. I only hope all worthwhile relationships can discover the glory after the struggles.
Now, it’s Pamela’s turn to interrogate Mark…
Pamela: You were born in South Africa, which is also where your story takes place. Do any particular memories play a part in your book?
Mark: With the exception of the two lead characters, the white woman Elsa and her black lover Stanwell, both total products of my imagination, Zebra Affaire is chock-full of my memories from the esoteric flavors and smells of sub-Saharan Africa to the real historical figures (both good and evil) and shattering events that inhabit the novel. This intrinsic reality, I feel, has added to the novel’s authenticity—bringing further richness to the powerful romance at the heart of the book, which provides a thrilling fusion of drama and suspense laced with history.
Pamela: In a few sentences, describe your book.
Mark: Is there a right time and place to fall in love? Surely there is, but not if you cross the color divide in heartless 1976 South Africa. As an apartheid love story, The Zebra Affaire is about Elsa, a white woman, who dared to fall in love with Stanwell, a black man. For the crime of love they are hunted down by the racist regime’s security apparatus from the City of Gold (Johannesburg) to the exotic but dangerous wilds of the African bushveld. In cinematic terms think Romeo & Juliet meets To Kill a Mockingbird in Out of Africa with a twist of Born Free! That’s The Zebra Affaire, which I hope one day is also made into a film.
Pamela: What is your ultimate goal for your readers when writing a story?
Mark: My first mission is to entertain, but I also believe in a well-written story that makes the reader think. The best compliment is to be told that my book lingered in the reader’s mind long after they finished the final page; the greatest compliment’s when they choose to read it a second time! I’m all for any book that shakes the reader out of their slumber. The Zebra Affairedoes this, but it’s truly a fun read.
Pamela: When you were a child, what did you imagine doing for the rest of your life as a career?
Mark: I hoped to be an architect. But pragmatism got in the way, and needing cash, I began to work in a record store in Johannesburg. There’s a scene in Zebra Affaire that’s partially biographical with the Marcus character’s record bar being a kind of oasis for our leading lady, Elsa. Consequently I found myself spending the balance of my career in the music industry. Of course, I’m not complaining—I’ve worked with terrific talent such as Sheryl Crow, Sting, Bryan Adams, and Boyz II Men. In reflection, with my desire to write, I’m surprised that I never attempted to write a song—the opportunity was certainly there. But now I’m content being a published author.
Pamela: Picking just one person, who in your life has greatly inspired you, and in what way?
Mark: The patriarch in my book, known as DGF, is inspired by my father David Fine. Though most of my years growing up were in boarding school hundreds of miles away from my home in Johannesburg, my dad and I were remarkably close. He had an amazing ability to reduce complex matters down to rational and moral win-win types of resolutions, a skill I so admired and aspired to achieve in a fractured society like South Africa. It was he who gave me Herman Wouk’s The Winds of War to read in my early teens, which went on to shape my interest in writing. My dad also introduced me to legendary adventure novelist, and fellow South African, Wilbur Smith—it left an indelible impression on me. To this day I have Smith’s autograph in my office as motivation.
Thank you, Mark. Thank you, Pamela.
Author 2 Author bios:
Author Mark Fine was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He has lived in New York, Minneapolis and Los Angeles since 1979. Through global music giant PolyGram, Mark founded Hammer & Lace Records. His label had a unique mandate: to be the industry’s only imprint dedicated to highlighting specific social or health issues by creating benefit albums that promoted life-saving awareness campaigns. For a decade Fine proved adept at uniting non-profit organizations, corporate and media sponsors, and world class musicians such as Sheryl Crow, Sting, Melissa Etheridge, Bryan Adams and Boyz ll Men in aid of breast cancer research and wildlife conservation. For his work Fine received several awards from both the music and oncology communities. He also contributed articles to entertainment publications and led speaking engagements at charity and industry events. Fine wrote The Zebra Affaire in the South Bay, where he lives with two sons, his “significant other” and Charlie the neighborhood dog that drops by from time to time. See more information about Mark at www.finewrites.blogspot.com and http://booklaunch.io/mjfine/markfineauthor
♦ GET YOURSELF A COPY of Mark’s critically acclaimed book at Amazon:
Amazon Worldwide: http://hyperurl.co/i958xl
Amazon United States: http://bit.ly/ZebraAffaireKindle
Pamela Crane is a North Carolinian writer of the best-selling psychological thriller “The Admirer’s Secret,” “A Fatal Affair,” and her latest release, “A Secondhand Life.” Along with being a wife and mom of three rug rats, she is a wannabe psychologist, though most people just think she needs to see one. She’s a member of the ITW, ACFW, and EFA, and has been involved in the ECPA, Christy Awards, and Romance Writers of America. Along with delving into people’s minds–or being the subject of their research–she enjoys being a literary reviewer and riding her proud Arabian horse, when he lets her. She has a passion for adventure, and her hopes are to keep earning enough from her writing to travel the world in search of more good story material. Grab a free book on her website at http://www.pamelacrane.com.
♦ YOU CAN PICK UP A COPY of Pamela’s books at the following retailers:
http://www.amazon.com/Secondhand-Life-Pamela-Crane-ebook/dp/B00SU9NO9M
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-secondhand-life/id970190342?mt=11
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-secondhand-life-pamela-crane/1121277910?ean=2940046592788
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/a-secondhand-life
https://www.omnilit.com/product-asecondhandlife-1751865-237.html
April 29, 2015
AUTHOR 2 AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Authors Mark Fine & Pamela Crane Reveal their Lives in Pursuit of the Art of Writing.
Originally posted on Mark Fine | Ruminations:
The Pamela Crane & Mark Fine Interview
Find out what secrets each author reveals in this author-on-author interview between Mark Fine, author of the romantic historical drama The Zebra Affaire, and Pamela Crane, thriller writer of the best-selling The Admirer’s Secret.
Each an admirer of the other’s work, here are pictures of Pamela and Mark “presenting” each others respective novels:
A coin is flipped and Pamela agrees to be first questioned by Mark…
View original 1,580 more words
AUTHOR 2 AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Authors Mark Fine & Pamela Crane Reveal their Lives in Pursuit of the Art of Writing.
Find out what secrets each author reveals in this author-on-author interview between Mark Fine, author of the romantic historical drama The Zebra Affaire, and Pamela Crane, thriller writer of the best-selling The Admirer’s Secret.
Each an admirer of the other’s work, here are pictures of Pamela and Mark “presenting” each others respective novels:
A coin is flipped and Pamela agrees to be first questioned by Mark…
Mark: What inspired you to start writing your first novel, and what was your goal for it?
Pamela: My debut novel, The Admirer’s Secret, was initially therapy. I had endured a horrifying experience with a stalker, and my “inspiration” was to get through my own trauma, since the book was based on real events and real psychological disorders that I lived through. The reality is that so many people suffer from mental illness and don’t know it, but there is hope and there are treatment options out there, and writing my book was one such treatment.
Mark: The balance of busy family life juxtaposed to the needed solitary of writing is a writer’s conundrum. Where, when, and how do you get time to write?
Pamela: I’m a mother of three (with a fourth on the way) who runs a horse rescue while being a full-time editor on the side. To say life gets in the way of writing is an understatement. But writing releases a pressure valve in me, so I find a way to fit it in. What works best for me is to plan a writing retreat, since writing a little each day is impossible with my schedule. My longsuffering husband watches the kids, then I take off work and escape, usually to our RV in the backyard (think Cousin Eddie’s broken-down RV in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation) where I take a weekend or longer to write, write, write all day, every day. I often need a couple of these focused getaways to finish a book, but eventually I cross the finish line.
Mark: Did you learn anything that surprised you when writing your book, whether from the research or the actual writing process?
Pamela: As a thriller writer, psychos often come with the territory. In order to deeply understand my characters, I research psychological disorders, which means I’m always learning something new about the way the brain works. In A Secondhand Life, I shed light on a scientific phenomenon called “organ memory,” which is a theory that organs have cellular memory. The idea came from a friend of mine who experienced odd memories that weren’t his own after receiving a lung transplant. I never realized that organ memory was real until I researched case studies. It’s quite fascinating to think about literally living in another person’s shoes while also wearing your own!
Mark: Do you have any future books in the works?
Pamela: Does a writer ever stop writing? Never! I’m excited to announce that the sequel to A Secondhand Life is in the works and should be out in late 2015. Using hidden clues left behind by a young murder victim, the story uncovers the details of what put a man—the character Landon’s father—wrongfully behind bars for a murder he didn’t commit.
Mark: Are your character relationships based on real relationships, or have they purely evolved from your imagination?
Pamela: My husband is the canvas on which I draw all of my romantic literary relationships. In A Secondhand Life, Mia and Brad have a strained relationship that eventually unfolds into a deeper love that wins against all odds. In a similar way, it took ten years of being torn in different directions, with obstacles pulling us apart at every turn, before my husband and I took a leap of faith to grasp our happily ever after and finally be together. I only hope all worthwhile relationships can discover the glory after the struggles.
Now, it’s Pamela’s turn to interrogate Mark.
Pamela: You were born in South Africa, which is also where your story takes place. Do any particular memories play a part in your book?
Mark: With the exception of the two lead characters, the white woman Elsa and her black lover Stanwell, both total products of my imagination, Zebra Affaire is chock-full of my memories from the esoteric flavors and smells of sub-Saharan Africa to the real historical figures (both good and evil) and shattering events that inhabit the novel. This intrinsic reality, I feel, has added to the novel’s authenticity—bringing further richness to the powerful romance at the heart of the book, which provides a thrilling fusion of drama and suspense laced with history.
Pamela: In a few sentences, describe your book.
Mark: Is there a right time and place to fall in love? Surely there is, but not if you cross the color divide in heartless 1976 South Africa. As an apartheid love story, The Zebra Affaire is about Elsa, a white woman, who dared to fall in love with Stanwell, a black man. For the crime of love they are hunted down by the racist regime’s security apparatus from the City of Gold (Johannesburg) to the exotic but dangerous wilds of the African bushveld. In cinematic terms think Romeo & Juliet meets To Kill a Mockingbird in Out of Africa with a twist of Born Free! That’s The Zebra Affaire, which I hope one day is also made into a film.
Pamela: What is your ultimate goal for your readers when writing a story?
Mark: My first mission is to entertain, but I also believe in a well-written story that makes the reader think. The best compliment is to be told that my book lingered in the reader’s mind long after they finished the final page; the greatest compliment’s when they choose to read it a second time! I’m all for any book that shakes the reader out of their slumber. The Zebra Affaire does this, but it’s truly a fun read.
Pamela: When you were a child, what did you imagine doing for the rest of your life as a career?
Mark: I hoped to be an architect. But pragmatism got in the way, and needing cash, I began to work in a record store in Johannesburg. There’s a scene in Zebra Affaire that’s partially biographical with the Marcus character’s record bar being a kind of oasis for our leading lady, Elsa. Consequently I found myself spending the balance of my career in the music industry. Of course, I’m not complaining—I’ve worked with terrific talent such as Sheryl Crow, Sting, Bryan Adams, and Boyz II Men. In reflection, with my desire to write, I’m surprised that I never attempted to write a song—the opportunity was certainly there. But now I’m content being a published author.
Pamela: Picking just one person, who in your life has greatly inspired you, and in what way?
Mark: The patriarch in my book, known as DGF, is inspired by my father David Fine. Though most of my years growing up were in boarding school hundreds of miles away from my home in Johannesburg, my dad and I were remarkably close. He had an amazing ability to reduce complex matters down to rational and moral win-win types of resolutions, a skill I so admired and aspired to achieve in a fractured society like South Africa. It was he who gave me Herman Wouk’s The Winds of War to read in my early teens, which went on to shape my interest in writing. My dad also introduced me to legendary adventure novelist, and fellow South African, Wilbur Smith—it left an indelible impression on me. To this day I have Smith’s autograph in my office as motivation.
Thank you, Mark. Thank you, Pamela.
Author 2 Author bios:
Author Mark Fine was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He has lived in New York, Minneapolis and Los Angeles since 1979. Through global music giant PolyGram, Mark founded Hammer & Lace Records. His label had a unique mandate: to be the industry’s only imprint dedicated to highlighting specific social or health issues by creating benefit albums that promoted life-saving awareness campaigns. For a decade Fine proved adept at uniting non-profit organizations, corporate and media sponsors, and world class musicians such as Sheryl Crow, Sting, Melissa Etheridge, Bryan Adams and Boyz ll Men in aid of breast cancer research and wildlife conservation. For his work Fine received several awards from both the music and oncology communities. He also contributed articles to entertainment publications and led speaking engagements at charity and industry events. Fine wrote The Zebra Affaire in the South Bay, where he lives with two sons, his “significant other” and Charlie the neighborhood dog that drops by from time to time. See more information about Mark at www.finewrites.blogspot.com and http://booklaunch.io/mjfine/markfineauthor
♦ GET YOURSELF A COPY of Mark’s critically acclaimed book at Amazon worldwide:
Amazon Kindle: http://hyperurl.co/i958xl
Pamela Crane is a North Carolinian writer of the best-selling psychological thriller “The Admirer’s Secret,” “A Fatal Affair,” and her latest release, “A Secondhand Life.” Along with being a wife and mom of three rug rats, she is a wannabe psychologist, though most people just think she needs to see one. She’s a member of the ITW, ACFW, and EFA, and has been involved in the ECPA, Christy Awards, and Romance Writers of America. Along with delving into people’s minds–or being the subject of their research–she enjoys being a literary reviewer and riding her proud Arabian horse, when he lets her. She has a passion for adventure, and her hopes are to keep earning enough from her writing to travel the world in search of more good story material. Grab a free book on her website at http://www.pamelacrane.com.
♦ YOU CAN PICK UP A COPY of Pamela’s books at the following retailers:
http://www.amazon.com/Secondhand-Life-Pamela-Crane-ebook/dp/B00SU9NO9M
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-secondhand-life/id970190342?mt=11
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-secondhand-life-pamela-crane/1121277910?ean=2940046592788
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/a-secondhand-life
https://www.omnilit.com/product-asecondhandlife-1751865-237.html
April 28, 2015
FINE REVIEW: “Scorn Kills” by Suzi Albracht
SCORN KILLS by Suzi Albracht
“A vivid story, filled with deliciously flawed characters”
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
“Scorn Kills” is a wickedly devilish book that reads with the breeziness of a fiery furnace backdraft. It dramatically opens with a claustrophobic setting; a coffin relentlessly heading toward final conflagration, its living occupant desperate to plead his case. Horror it is not, but author Suzi Albracht’s dark humor ensures that “Scorn Kills” is a far more satisfying read. Morality and fidelity are supposedly inscribed in blood, but for our main protagonist, his manly frailty is that well-treaded demon–the temptation of another woman. And for this transgression, alas, there would be no second chances.
The first person telling of this breathless tale is delectable, as it is the sinner that narrates his own fate. What I especially enjoyed about Ms. Albracht’s book is that she never burdened me, the reader, with tiresome sermons on the evils of infidelity; instead she expertly grabbed my attention with a vivid story, filled with flawed characters. For me, “Scorn Kills” is well worth the read!
Review by Mark Fine The Zebra Affaire
April 25, 2015
FINE REVIEW: “Murder Most Rural” by Charlie Flowers
Murder Most Rural by Charlie Flowers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A fascinating collision of genre’s and cultures, and it works spectacularly! All heats up in the Larry Bond military fiction tradition (but with a decidedly British Empire accent), and then seamlessly transitions into the bucolic Essex countryside, with a deadly mystery that would have delighted Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple. But in lieu of the staid Miss Marple, author Charlie Flowers has blessed us with the dynamo–Holly Bang-Bang! I adored this gal. No mere sidekick to her husband, the resolute and gung-ho Riz, but an equal partner in their deadly cat and mouse adventures. The fiery Bang-Bang can cook a fine curry too. [Every time she was stirring onions into a curry sauce I found myself salivating–clear evidence of the author’s gift of bringing all the senses in the scene to life!]
“Murder Most Rural” is one hundred proof entertainment, but I credit Mr. Flowers for gently taking a dig at those that are inclined toward prejudice. The comeuppance to those that ridicule the Pakistan heritage of the married couple at the heart of story, makes the read all the more satisfying. The fact that Riz and Bang-Bang have the deadly skills of an elite special force team, yet confront all challenges with wry wit and mutual respect, makes them all the more memorable. I was so intrigued by this unconventional couple, and their full-throttle with cumin and turmeric adventures, that I find myself wishing to read other books in the Rizwan Sabir Mysteries series. I suggest you similarly treat yourself to a thoroughly entertaining read.
April 24, 2015
FINE REVIEW: “The Admirer’s Secret” by Pamela Crane
The Admirer’s Secret by Pamela Crane
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
An Admirable book: as the tension builds we learn more about the underside of human nature, and possibly our darker selves.
Certainly much more than the romantic suspense I was anticipating, Ms. Crane had the knack of keeping this reader on the edge of his seat. The author is skilled at making the prosaic appear sinister, and as I read her descriptions of bucolic suburbia I always felt a sense that something ominous was just waiting around the corner. I believe this is Ms. Crane’s point, that we have no right to expect our lives to be “golden” and that at any moment we may be confronted with unexpected evil. And that evil comes in many guises–not necessarily the obvious monster, but in more nuanced forms–including our destructive selves.
As such, though most entertaining, “The Admirer’s Secret” took on the significance of a modern parable by allowing us to peer into this tense fictional world Ms. Crane created–with the expectation that real life lessons may hopefully be learned. At the conclusion I felt the author’s authenticity in telling us this story, and interpreted the novel as an alliterative nexus of Faust, Fatal Attraction, and Faith–a powerful triad representing the light and dark of humanity; a most provocative notion. If you wish to be both entertained and challenged, I heartily recommend this book.
Review by Mark Fine, author of The Zebra Affaire
April 15, 2015
Fascinating Family Saga of Occidentals in the Orient as War Clouds Loomed over Shanghai
Hiding in a Cave of Trunks: A Prominent Jewish Family’s Century in Shanghai and Internment in a WWII POW Camp. by Ester Benjamin Shifren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
From Ester Shifren’s remarkably detailed work you will re-visit an extraordinary family history
A fascinating family saga of occidentals in the Orient, as war clouds loomed over Shanghai, and then the family’s subsequent POW deprivations at the hands of the Japanese during World War II. From Ester Shifren’s remarkably detailed work you sense her great affection for Shanghai, and in her telling both the vitality and tragedy of its fascinating people are clearly voiced. And in a way this echoes the travails experienced by Ester and her family. They were happy there, and prospered. Then the Japanese invaded.
You must read Hiding in a Cave of Trunks to truly appreciate the unique and unkind path the Benjamin family were subjected to during those troubled times, and to admire the indomitable creative spirit of the author–who was at the time a very young, but plucky little girl. To me, this is what makes this book so unique and appealing: Ms. Shifren tells the story from two perspectives; that of a wide-eyed child (with all the immediacy, exuberance, naivety, and confusion that youth offers) and then of a wise, sophisticated, well-travelled woman (who has done her research, including recorded testimonials from those that were there). It is such a fresh, inspired way to re-visit history.
My final thought when I finished reading Ms. Shifren’s compelling book was wonderment at the fascinating lives “lived” by ordinary people like you and me. And, how fortunate we are that Ester Benjamin Shifren took the time to tell us her story. [Review by Mark Fine, Author “The Zebra Affaire”] The Zebra Affaire Mark Fine
For alternate history fans this book is an amazing passionate twist on Kenndy/Oswald saga.
View From the Sixth Floor: An Oswald Tale by Elizabeth Horton-Newton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
As a fan of Alternate History literature I was in my element reading Elizabeth Newton’s imaginative and provocative tale of those tragic events–on that mind numbing day, November 22, 1963, But that’s merely the capstone on which this fine story is based; it is the aftermath rendered in richly human terms that makes this story so original and compelling. It’s a special writers’ gift to take a much vilified anti-hero and inexorably, page by page, rehabilitate him into a most sympathetic and admirable character. This, author Ms. Newton has accomplished with great success; so much so that I gladly suspended any traces of disbelief, and readily immersed myself in her Alternative Reality.
Incidentally this is not another typical “Kennedy Conspiracy” theory text, as the subtitle of “View From the Sixth Floor” clearly states that this is “An Oswald Tale” (with the emphasis on “Tale”). No, the author takes us on a different journey of romance, friendship and loyalty, family, loss and redemption, and the appropriate mistrust of those in power.
More significantly “Sixth Floor” touched my heart, surprisingly (considering it’s Oswald’s tale). I attribute this to a certain charm that exudes on every page. Possibly this is a result of the immensely likeable Olivia, the middle-aged widow at the heart of the story. Her personal growth as the narrative winds deeper and deeper is wonderful to behold; from tentative to passionate and plucky. In fact Olivia reminded me of the intriguing neighborly women that Agatha Christie so brilliantly brought to life in her legendary tales. I do hope we meet Olivia again in Elizabeth Newton’s future work.
Finally, I must applaud the writers’ imagination. The plotting of her story holds true despite the real world truths stacked against it. That is a complicated task to accomplish, but with a mixture of sophistication and charm I found myself enamored by this most satisfying read—and as such I am delighted to recommend it to others!
Review by Mark FineThe Zebra Affaire
April 13, 2015
The Zebra Affaire by Mark Fine
A special review from a most talented, fellow author Elizabeth Newton
Originally posted on Between the Beats:
The Zebra Affaire by Mark Fine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
It is not often a book as intensely dazzling as “The Zebra Affaire” by Mark Fine comes along. A forbidden love story takes place against the dramatic background of 1970’s South Africa and apartheid. Fine draws you into the story cautiously, laying the groundwork for the eventual affair between Elsa and Stanwell. By gently educating the reader with the background of the conflicts in South Africa, awareness of the difficulties faced by the star crossed lovers is enhanced. This is more than a racial segregation issue; there is a deeper issue brewing in South Africa. Tribal conflicts cause significant damage to a country beset by violence and political unrest.
As the love of Elsa and Stanwell grows deeper and more intense they are assisted by some to strengthen their bond. While segregation forbids open encouragement of their union…
View original 210 more words
AUTHOR 2 AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Authors Mark Fine & Pamela Crane Reveal their Lives in Pursuit of the Art of Writing.
Find out what secrets each author reveals in this author-on-author interview between Mark Fine, author of the romantic historical drama The Zebra Affaire, and Pam ...more
- Mark Fine's profile
- 131 followers
