Olga Núñez Miret's Blog: Author Translator Olga, page 65

#Gracias! Ya tenemos portada! Y si queréis leer un poco más…

Hola a todos:

Quería daros las gracias por la respuesta a mi pregunta de la semana pasada. Para seros sincera, al publicar el post pensé que poca gente respondería y que las opiniones estaría muy igualadas, pero me equivoqué. Aparte de las respuestas aquí, varios autores respondieron a mensajes en Facebook, tuve mensajes en Twitter, y Ernesto Valdés, el diseñador de la portada también compartió la pregunta en su cuenta de Facebook y tuvimos muchísimas respuestas. Y también me equivoqué en lo de que las opiniones estaría igualas. Pues no. No solo eso sino que la gente ha coincidido y votado por la misma portada tanto en inglés como en español, en una gran mayoría (vamos, que no tendremos que ir a segundas votaciones ni terceras…).

La ganadora por mayoría abrumadora es:

Propuesta de portada 1

¡Muchas gracias! De hecho me estoy planteando el probar y cambiar las portadas en la versión digital del libro, para comprobar si influye mucho, aunque no creo que con mi volumen de ventas el resultado fuera muy significativo, pero…

Como os comenté, la novela está escrita, pero acabar de tenerla lista, especialmente ya que publico mis libros siempre en versión española e inglesa a la vez, lleva tiempo, y en verano lo cierto es que no apetece ir a todo correr, así que puede que tardemos un poco.

Pero  mientras tanto, decidí compartir el principio de la historia en Wattpad, por si tenéis un rato y os intriga. Aquí está el enlace. 

Espero tener disponible a la venta la versión en audio de la precuela de la serie, pero os tendré informados.

Y hablando de Una vez psiquiatra… Los inicios este mes en el Grupo Café Literario en Goodreads estamos hablando de esa novela corta, así que si la habéis leído y os queréis unir a nosotros, aquí está el enlace.

Muchísimas gracias por vuestra ayuda y por leer, y si os ha interesado, dadle al me gusta, comentad, compartid y haced CLIC!

#Thanks all! You’re awesome! And if you want to read more… #TuesdayBookBlog

Hi all:

I wanted to thank you first of all for your help. I am overwhelmed by the huge response to my question about the cover to my next book. To tell you the truth I thought I would have a few replies and things would be pretty close for all of them. But I was wrong on both accounts. I got a lot of comments (ah, and the cover artist decided to run his own enquiry in his Facebook page and the results were pretty similar there) and a big majority of people went for the same cover (if only thing were that clear in Spanish politics, for instance… Well…)

So, drumroll… The runaway winner is:

Possible cover 1

I must admit I’m toying with the idea of perhaps swapping and changing covers, at least in the e-book version, to see if we were right (although I doubt the numbers would make it a very significant experiment, but nonetheless…)

The story, as I told you, is written, but as is the case with my novels, having to work, correct and publish at the same time in two versions, the English and the Spanish, slows everything down. And summer is not a time to go rushing around, but to take it easy, so I’ll keep you informed.

The audiobook for the prequel to this series should be ready soon, so I hope to bring you news of that (and free codes) in the near future.

Ah, and just in case you want to read a bit more about the story, I’ve published the prologue and the first draft chapter in Wattpad, here. Go and visit if you have the time.

Thanks very much for your help. And you know the drill, like, share, comment and CLICK!

#New book The Vampire of Blackpool by Catherine Anne Green (@SpookyMrsGreen) #Paranormal eerie and spooky, with a British touch

Hi all:

I’m pleased to see that authors I’ve met through blogging and social media are keeping busy with their books, and there’s a great variety of them. Here, Catherine Anne Green who also belongs to the fabulous and supportive group of authors ASMSG told me she’d released a new book, and as I’ve visited and enjoyed my time in Blackpool, I could not resist…

The Vampire of Blackpool by Catherine Green
The Vampire of Blackpool by Catherine Green

British paranormal romance author Catherine Green has taken a break from her Redcliffe novels series set in Cornwall, and has launched her brand new novel, The Vampire of Blackpool. A contemporary English Gothic story, it tells the tale of vampire Meredith Hanson, her love interest Samantha Morris, and her rival, the vampire hunter Ryan James. The novel is strictly for an adult audience, and Catherine’s vampires do not sparkle!

 

The vampire, the witch, and the hunter battle it out in a contemporary Gothic adventure in Northern England.

 

Meredith Hanson lives in Blackpool, the former Victorian holiday hotspot of Northern England. She masquerades as a reclusive author, feeding on the blood of unsuspecting tourists without remorse. Her life takes on new meaning when she meets a young witch in a local pub one evening. Despite Meredith’s cold demeanour, she finds herself oddly fascinated with Samantha Morris, and falls into an accidental relationship with the girl. It is at this time that a vampire hunter arrives in Blackpool. He is tough, he is determined, and his next target is an ancient vampire that has been spotted in the tourist town. He intends to bring her down and destroy her to save the lives of innocent humans. Will he succeed? Or will the experienced vampire seductress be the cause of his undoing?

 

The Vampire of Blackpool is available to order in paperback and ebook formats via her website www.catherinegreenauthor.blogspot.com or you can find it in Amazon and other ebook stores.

Here, a bit of information about the author:

Author Catherine Green holding a copy of her new gothic novel The Vampire of Blackpool. Oh, to be beside the seaside!

About the Author

Author of British paranormal romance series The Redcliffe Novels, Catherine Green was raised on books from a young age, and has happy memories of Saturday mornings spent in her small local library, devouring the contents of the shelves. Catherine has always been fascinated by the supernatural world, and it feels natural for her to write about vampires, werewolves, witches and other mystical creatures in her contemporary stories.

 

If you sign up to Catherine’s newsletter, she will send you a free copy of her Redcliffe short story, It’s Complicated, to introduce you to her fictional supernatural seaside town in Cornwall, England.

You can find Catherine in the following places:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpookyMrsGreen

Author blog: http://www.catherinegreenauthor.blogspot.co.uk/

Twitter page: https://twitter.com/SpookyMrsGreen

Personal Blog: http://spookymrsgreen.com/

Thanks so much to author Catherine Green for bringing us her brand new novel, thanks to all of you for reading, and you know what to do, like, share, comment and CLICK!

 

Help,please! Which #cover do you prefer? My WIP is getting closer but can’t decide. #Tuesdaybookblog

Hi all:

Sorry to bother you again today. I wasn’t planning on sharing another post today, but my cover artist, Ernesto Valdés, sent me three suggestions (well, the same cover in different colours) for my next book, Escaping Psychiatry 2. The Case of the Swapped Bodies and I’ve been checking the covers and sharing with some people for the last few days but can’t make up my mind. As I had already programmed a review for today that I had read as a member of Rosie’s team I didn’t want to change that, but I know this will be bothering me for a while. Any chance you could give me  your opinion?

This is the description so far…

The Case of the Swapped Bodies (Escaping Psychiatry 2)

A woman shot dead. No enemies, no motive, only a story about how she swapped bodies with another woman in her computer. The other woman in the story, the owner of the swapped body, goes into labour and won’t talk.

When FBI Agent Dave Dean asks psychiatrist/writer Mary Miller for her assistance, she doesn’t know that The Case of the Swapped Bodies is not the only mystery in Port Haven. A hit and run, an armed robbery gone wrong and questions about family traditions, priorities and legacies come into play and complicate matters. The line between fact and fiction is more tenuous than anybody realised and suspense is on the menu.

This is the third book in the Escaping Psychiatry series and it poses new challenges for Mary Miller. And not all the challenges are professional ones. How do you carry on when you’ve survived the unthinkable?

Here the three suggested covers

Number 1

Possible cover 1

Number 2

Possible cover 2

Number 3

Possible cover 3

So you can take a more informed decision, these are the covers of the first two.

Escaping Psychiatry. Beginnings by Olga Núñez Miret. Cover by Ernesto Valdés
Escaping Psychiatry Cover by Ernesto Valdés

All help will be appreciated. I promise to share a bit more about the novel soon (I’m waiting on edits but if anybody fancies an early read I hope we should be able to get some copies ready soon), but this is going around my head (with a few other things…) Ah, and just in case, a quick reminder that the prequel is available free in most places.

Ah, and although this is something different, as the post is about the genre (more or less), I thought I’d take the chance to share this survey that Lit World Interviews are running about the genre mystery. Why do you like it? Check here and go answer!

Thanks so much for mostly checking and looking, please, let me know what you think, and like, share, comment and bring everybody! Oh, and don’t forget to reply to the survey!

¡Ayuda, por favor! ¿Cuál de estas tres #portadas preferís? Una vez psiquiatra 2. El caso de los cuerpos intercambiados

Hola a todos:

Primero contaros que mi madre está mucho mejor (planeo escribir un post relacionado en el asunto y síntomas de enfermedades cardíacas cuando pueda), gracias a todos por vuestro interés. Aunque tuvo un infarto de miocardio y sus coronarias estaban muy estenosadas, por suerte la angioplastia funcionó y ahora se encuentra mucho mejor. Muchas gracias al equipo de Urgencias y de Cardiología del Hospital Clínic de Barcelona (por cierto donde estudié yo) por sus cuidados.

Y ahora… Ya os había comentado que estaba traduciendo y corrigiendo la siguiente novela en la serie Una vez psiquiatra… Con un poco de suerte, cuando leáis esto estará en manos de correctores. Mientras tanto, hace unos días Ernesto Valdés me envió su propuesta de portada, que me gustó mucho, pero en tres colores. Por más que las he mirado todas, y tanto Ernesto como yo hemos consultado un poco, parece que las opiniones están divididas. Así que pensé… Bueno, que os preguntaría a vosotros a ver qué os parece…

Primero os dejo la descripción que tengo de momento…

El caso de los cuerpos intercambiados (Una vez psiquiatra… 2)

Una mujer muerta de un disparo. No hay enemigos, no hay motivos, solo una historia en su ordenador sobre como intercambió cuerpos con otra mujer. La otra mujer en la historia, la dueña del cuerpo intercambiado, se pone de parto y se niega a hablar.

Cuando el agente del FBI, Dave Dean, le pide a la psiquiatra/escritora Mary Miller que les asesore, ella no sabe que El caso de los cuerpos intercambiados no es el único misterio de Port Haven. Un atropello y fuga, un robo a mano armada que terminó muy mal y cuestiones sobre tradiciones familiares, prioridades y legados entran en juego y complican las cosas. La línea que separa la realidad de la ficción es más tenue de lo que se había imaginado y el suspense está servido.

Este es el tercer libro en la serie Una vez psiquiatra y el caso plantea nuevos retos para Mary Miller. Y no todos ellos son de tipo profesional. ¿Cómo sigues adelante cuando has sobrevivido lo impensable?

Número 1

Propuesta de portada 1

Número 2

Propuesta de portada 2

Número 3

Propuesta de portada 3

Y os recuerdo las otras dos portadas en la serie por si ayudan…

Una vez psiquiatra. Los inicios. Olga Núñez Miret. Portada de Ernesto Valdés
Una vez psiquiatra… Portada de Ernesto Valdés

Os prometo que os contaré un poco más de la nueva novela (aunque tampoco no os quiero dar mucho la lata) pronto, y os recuerdo que la precuela está disponible en casi todas partes gratuitamente , pero os agradezco las opiniones ya que las tres portadas me están rondando por la cabeza.

Muchas gracias por vuestro interés, os agradezco las opiniones, y ya sabéis, dadle al me gusta, comentad, compartid, y traeros a toda la gente con buen ojo para esto!

#RBRT Bookreview LA PETITE BOULAIN by G. Lawrence (@TudorTweep) Anne Boleyn in her own words as you’ve never read her before #TuesdayBookBlog

Hi all:

As I promised, although I’m hoping to have news about other things and my own writing very soon, in the meantime I’m reading as much as I can and I have a review of a fabulous book for you. Thanks to Rosie Amber and to Terry Tyler for the suggestion.

La Petite Boulain by G. Lawrence
La Petite Boulain (Above all Others; The Lady Anne Book 1) by G. Lawrence

May 1536, London… a fallen queen sits waiting in the Tower of London, condemned to death by her husband. As Death looms before her, Anne Boleyn, second queen of Henry VIII looks back on her life…from the very beginning.

Daughter of a courtier, servant to queens… she rose higher than any thought possible, and fell lower than any could imagine.

Following the path of the young Mistress Boleyn, or La Petite Boulain, through the events of the first years of the reign of Henry VIII, to the glittering courts of Burgundy and France, Book One of “Above All Others; The Lady Anne” tracks the life of the young Lady Anne, showing how she became the scintillating woman who eventually, would capture the heart of a king.

La Petite Boulain is the first book in the series “Above All Others; The Lady Anne” on the life of Anne Boleyn by G.Lawrence.

Links:

http://amzn.to/28SFEFa

http://amzn.to/28SFLR9

My review:

I write this review as part of Rosie’s Book Review Team. Thanks to Rosie Amber and to Gemma Lawrence for providing me with a free copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review.

I’ve been reading more historical novels of recent and I appreciate the mix of skills their authors require. There has to be a lot of research for the novel to be grounded sufficiently in the era and not seem a total flight of fancy. But ensuring that this research is seamlessly weaved into the story and avoiding the risk of turning it into a textbook requires talent, inspiration, art and a passion for the topic. And La Petite Boulain has all those and more.

I’m Spanish and although I’ve lived in the UK for many years I wouldn’t say that my knowledge of English history is deep or detailed. Like most people the entire world over, I’m more familiar with the Tudors and their historical period than with any others, thanks to the fascination they have always held for historians, writers, and movie and television scriptwriters. I would guess that most of us have read or watched something about Henry VIII and Elizabeth I at the very least. And we’ve heard of Anne Boleyn.  We might even have an opinion about her.

Since I started writing reviews and blogging about books I’ve come across many books about Anne Boleyn. What prompted me to read this one was a recommendation by one of the reviewers in Rosie’s team that I know is very knowledgeable on the subject (thanks once more, Terry ) and the fact that this book looks at Anne not solely regarding her relationship with Henry VIII. The story is told in the first person, by Anne, who is waiting at the Tower to be beheaded (I’m sure this is no spoiler for anybody), and as a way of keeping calm and passing away the time without falling into despair (more so as she’s surrounded by hostile women sent to spy on her), she goes back in time and remembers her life from childhood. This is the first book in the series, and it takes us from childhood to the time when Anne returns back to England after spending several years away, most recently at the French court, when she’s already a young woman.

The book is beautifully written, with detailed (but not boring or drawn-out) descriptions of clothing, places, people and customs. The language and expressions are appropriate to the era without being overcomplicated or slowing down the story. We see Anne as she sees herself, a lucky girl who’s been born into a good family, with a caring, affectionate and accomplished mother, a father somewhat distant and cold, more interested in politics and the advancement of the family’s fortunes than in the feelings of their members, an older sister (Mary) who is the prettiest one, but less clever and freer with her morals (she’s a more sensuous creature), and a younger brother, George, whom she has much in common with.

We follow her amazement and wonder at historical events, such as the coronation of Henry VIII, when she takes a fancy to the young king, and see her education, first at home, and then at different European Courts, initially at Mechelen  and then in France. The book captures well the innocence of a young girl arrived at a European court, who thinks everybody is beautiful, clever and brilliant, although even at that age she is a keen observer and a quick learner. She’s also good at noticing the power relations and getting closer to influencers and people who can teach her the most.

As she grows, she starts to notice and observe the underbelly and the hypocrisy of the society she lives in, and she also becomes a critical thinker, questioning organised religion and reading what were at the time considered dangerous tracks (Martin Luther). She is shocked by some behaviours she sees, including those of her family members, and by the clear difference in the way women are treated in comparison to the men, no matter how high their position in life, but she is determined to absorb knowledge and learn as much as she can, to ensure that she will not just be at the whim of those around her.

I enjoyed the historical detail, the reflections on events and historical figures of the era, but above all, the way the story is told, that takes the readers into Anne’s confidence and makes them experience with her both wonderful and terrible events, helping make her a real and understandable human being, rather than a cardboard figurine out of historical volume . La petite Boulain is an absolute pleasure to read, and despite knowing the story, I can’t wait to for the next book in the series.

Thanks so much to Rosie Amber for her fabulous team, thanks to Gemma Lawrence for this wonderful book, thanks to you all for reading, and please, like, share, comment and CLICK!

#Guestpost “Two countries separated by the same language” by Wendy Janes (@wendyproof). You say potato and I say…

Hi all:

As you know I’m taking a bit of a breather from my regular blogging to recover from recent emotions (my mother is doing much better, thanks) but as luck would have it, I have been in contact with Wendy Janes whom I met through Lit World Interviews (check here for one of her fabulous guest posts there). She is a fabulous writer and an excellent proofreader and she kindly pointed out a couple of things in one of my books that had bypassed my and my proofreader’s keen eye. I suggested she could share one of her posts in my blog, and she produced a wonderful post about the differences between UK and US English, something that as a translator I get asked about and think about often. The post was too good to just keep it waiting, so here it comes.

Wendy Janes author and proofreader extraordinaire
“Two countries separated by the same language”

Thank you to Olga for inviting me to write a guest post. As Olga is a translator I decided to choose a topic relevant to that aspect of her professional life. Unfortunately, my only knowledge of a language beyond English is the limited French I learned at school squillions of years ago. However, thinking about different languages brought to mind the similarities and differences between US and UK English, and how important it is for authors to be aware of the differences so that they don’t unwittingly mix them up.

 

I’m not advocating sticking slavishly to the rules. If an author does choose to mix things up, that’s fine, as long as he or she is making an informed decision, which is applied consistently throughout. (I’ve chosen to use UK spelling and US double quotes throughout this post. J)

 

In my role as a proofreader, I can do a much better job focusing on spotting typos and ensuring consistency if an author has already spent time making decisions (perhaps with an editor) on things like US or UK punctuation, spelling and style.

 

I have a basic US/UK checklist that I refer to when I start working on a proof. I’ve selected some items from it to produce the following six points which I hope you’ll find useful:

 

Generally, for speech, quotations and emphasised words, US English uses double quotes and UK English uses single. Fortunately, the rules for punctuating speech are the same. However, they are different for quotations and emphasised words, which are set with commas and full stops inside quote marks in US English, and outside in UK English, as follows:

 

US: Edith was feeling a little “emotional.”

UK: Edith was feeling a little “emotional”.

 

When dashes are used parenthetically they generally appear as unspaced em dashes in US English, and spaced en dashes in UK:

 

US: Edward had a quiet—but far too brief—moment to himself.

UK: Edward had a quiet – but far too brief – moment to himself.

 

If you are referring to Mr, Mrs and Dr, these words are followed by the period/full stop in US English. UK English omits it.

 

US English usually uses the Oxford or serial comma, while UK English does not, unless it’s needed for meaning.

 

US English sets dates as Month, Day, Year, while UK English sets dates as Day, Month, Year.

 

US: January 14, 2010 or 1/14/2010

UK: 14 January 2010 or 14/1/2010

 

Where this can cause confusion is when a date such as 6 April 2010 is presented in numerals. US style would show this as 4/6/2010, which looks like 4 June to a UK reader.

 

When it comes to spelling, I think most people are familiar with the following:

 

color/colour

theater/theatre

catalog/catalogue

modeling/modelling

pajamas/pyjamas

jewelry/jewellery

 

However, some of our spelling differences result in different meanings for US and UK readers, so authors need to be alert to these. For example, in US English you can pay for goods with a check, but in UK English, it’s a cheque.

 

Having established the basics, I’d now like to chat for a while about word choice, which I hope you’ll find as fascinating as I do.

 

Last year I proofread a book by an American author, set in the US and peopled by American characters. One sentence that really brought home to me the differences in our common language ran as follows:

 

“The Asian man sat in the diner wearing his new pants, eating chips, and watching football on the TV.”

 

As an English reader I am picturing an Indian man, sitting in a restaurant in his underpants, eating French fries while watching people kicking a round ball in a game that Americans would call soccer. I understand that an American reader could be picturing a Chinese man wearing trousers, eating what I’d describe as crunchy thin fried potato slices while watching people kicking and throwing an oval-shaped ball in a game that I would call American football.

 

I find I often have to “translate” words such as smart, mad and purse. For example:

 

“The smart woman was so mad she threw her purse on the floor.”

 

I picture a well-dressed woman who is insane, throwing to the floor the small object where she keeps her money, while I understand that an American reader would see a clever woman who is angry, throwing what I would call her handbag to the floor.

 

If an author would like his or her book to be enjoyed by people on both sides of the pond and elsewhere, I advise double-checking the text for clarity. I suggest re-working sentences to ensure that the intended meaning is as clear as possible. Adding a little extra context can help avoid confusion.

 

I’ve recently proofread a couple of books written by UK-based authors that were set in the US and had a mix of American and English character. One author chose to follow US style of spelling and punctuation and the other UK style, which was absolutely fine. Where things became a little complex was with direct thoughts and dialogue. There’s something jarring when an American character refers to pavement, lift, nappy and tap, and an English character says sidewalk, elevator, diaper and faucet. However, it’s not always clear cut, and I encourage authors to think carefully about their characters before making a decision.

 

It may be that the American secret agent in a novel has lived for so many years in England that he would naturally talk about walking along the pavement. His English-born contact may have watched so much American television that he would refer to the sidewalk.

 

In another book I proofread, there was a terrific tangle with the word mom/mum. The book was written in UK English, but an American character’s internal thoughts and spoken dialogue used both mom and mum. I think this one was difficult to call, but a call needed to be made. On the one hand, if we kept the UK English for everyone except the American character’s internal thoughts and spoken dialogue, then there was a danger the text would look inconsistent. On the other hand, having an American character referring to his “mum” could sound inauthentic.

 

If you’re keen to read more, The New Oxford Style Manual has a whole chapter about the differences between US and UK English.

 

Wherever you are in the world, whether you’re a reader or a writer, I hope you have enjoyed this post.

Here a bit more information about Wendy:

Wendy Janes lives in London with her husband and youngest son. She is a freelance proofreader (see her website here ), and a caseworker for The National Autistic Society’s Education Rights Service.

 

Wendy has contributed a number of short stories to anthologies, and her first solo novel, What Jennifer Knows, was published in 2015. A selection of short stories entitled What Tim Knows, and other stories will be available in the summer of 2016.

 

Her writing is inspired by family, friends, and everyday events that only require a little twist to become entertaining fiction.

 

You can connect with Wendy online via Twitter, and discover more about her writing on her Facebook author page, and Amazon author pages (UK/US).

I could not resist and had to share a bit more information about Wendy’s book (and I hope to share the next one too). It’s Friday after all!

What Jennifer Knows by Wendy Janes

What Jennifer Knows by Wendy Janes

A vital member of her Surrey community, Jennifer Jacobs is dedicated to her job as a dance therapist, helping children with special needs to express themselves through movement. Wife of a successful though reclusive sculptor, Gerald, she is known for having a deep sense of empathy, making her a trusted confidante. So when two very different friends, Freya and Abi, both share information with her that at first seems to be an awkward coincidence, she doesn’t tell them. But as the weeks roll by, the link revealed between the two women begins to escalate into a full-blown moral dilemma – and also brings to the surface a painful memory Jennifer believed she had long since forgotten. What is the right thing to do? Should she speak out or is the truth better left unsaid?

Links:

http://amzn.to/1Pvg3xs

http://amzn.to/1Pvh4W2

Thanks so much to Wendy Janes for her very informative post, and for her help with my own book, thanks to all for reading, and please, like, share, comment and CLICK!

#RBRT Bookreview Wings of Mayhem (The Mayhem Series Book 1)by Sue Coletta (@SueColetta1) A female protagonist with a secret life, a few issues and a pretty special serial killer #TuesdayBookBlog

Wings of Mayhem. Book 1 in the Mayhem Series by Sue Coletta

Today I share a review (as I told you I carry on reading) for Rosie’s Book Review Team. First I share the description, and I guess you’ll see why I thought I had to read this book.

Wings of Mayhem (The Mayhem Series Book 1)by Sue Coletta

Description

Shawnee Daniels — cybercrimes specialist by day, cat burglar by night — ignites the hellfire fury of a serial killer when she unknowingly steals his trophy box.

A SERIAL KILLER STALKS THE STREETS…

Cat burglar Shawnee Daniels always believed her “fearlessness rules” mantra would keep her on top and out of jail. When she hacks a confiscated hard drive at the Revere P.D., she focuses on a white-collar criminal accused of embezzlement. To teach him a lesson and recoup the funds she breaks into his massive contemporary in Bear Clave Estates. Jack has even more secrets, deadly secrets, secrets worth killing over.

A CAT BURGLAR PICKS THE WRONG HOUSE TO ROB…

Shawnee thinks she made it out clean until a deadly package arrives at her door soon after. He’s found her. As a glowing eagle taunts her Skype screen, Jack tells her she stole his precious trophy box — and he wants it back!

THEIR LIVES COLLIDE…

When her “helpful” best friend convinces her to date charismatic Detective Levaughn Samuels, her two worlds threaten to implode. Ordinarily Shawnee keeps a firm line between her professions, but dating Levaughn might help her get this psycho off her tail.

AND NOW, NO ONE IS SAFE…

In this lightning-fast-paced psychological thriller of secrets and lies, Shawnee juggles being stalked by a serial killer, dating the lead detective on the case, and tap dancing around her librarian best friend.

If she doesn’t find the trophy box, the killer’s coming for her. If she doesn’t expose her secrets and lies, more will die. And if she does, she could lose her freedom and everyone she holds dear.

If you’re a fan of Lisa Jackson, Rachel Abbott, Karin Slaughter thrillers, crime fiction with an edge, or psychological thrillers, mystery, and suspense, then Wings of Mayhem is for you.

Praise for Sue Coletta’s novels…

“The heart-stopping descriptions are so jarringly real that there are several scenes I will never forget.” ~ Eliza Cross, Award Winning Author

“Sue Coletta isn’t going to spare you the gory details or an honest look behind the crime scene tape. She’s a well versed author in all things crime who indelicately dumps you into the middle of a life which has been disrupted, disturbed, and marred by the evil acts of a solitary man.” ~ Beaux Cooper, Author and Amazon Reviewer

“Sue Coletta’s writing style is bold. It’s riveting. Her words carry the impact of pistol shots. Her dialogue would make Raymond Chandler proud. Her story touches your heart, then threatens to rip it out.” ~ Caleb Pirtle III, Award Winning Author of over 60 novels.

And now my review:

I’m writing this review as part of Rosie’s Book Review Team. Thanks to Rosie Amber and to the author, Sue Coletta, who provided me with a free copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

I hadn’t read any books by the author before but the description of this novel, the first in a new series, caught my attention. I read thrillers often and it’s sometimes difficult to come across a book that finds a new angle on the subject or has something to offer to make it worthwhile for the avid reader of the genre. In this particular book, the main protagonist of the novel, Shawnee Daniels, is pretty special. She is a forensic computer analyst working for the police by day, but she has a double life and is a cat burglar by night. Although we learn that she used to be a fully-fledged cat  burglar at some point, she’s now a Robin Hood-like figure, stealing from baddies (mostly rich people who’ve committed fraud or come into their money by other devious means) to give to good causes. (Later in the novel somebody tells her that doing that turns her into a vigilante, although she does not use violence and is a complete novice to things like firearms. I understand their argument but I’m not fully convinced.) In one of her nocturnal excursions, she picks up valuables (gold, diamonds, a puzzle box and other trinkets) from a fraudster’s house. Rather than leaving with her booty she can’t help herself, and making good the well-known adage, her curiosity gets her into a whole lot of trouble. She discovers the hidden lair of the latest serial killer, ‘the Creator’. The description of what this murderer does to his victims (very twisted and extreme) made me think of one of the other reviewers in the team who used to teach Anatomy. Indeed this is not for readers who like tame mysteries, as there is explicit violence and a great deal of detail.

The story is told mostly from Shawnee’s point of view, in the first person, although towards the end we have some chapters from one of the detective’s point of view, Levaughn Samuels, a very attractive cop and Shawnee’s love interest. Indeed the novel is not only a hardboiled psychological thriller, but it has elements of romance (with some sex and all, not the most explicit I’ve ever read but not squeaky-clean either), with a somewhat idealised Leavaughn (he’s not only attractive, but loves Shawnee despite not knowing her very well, and accepts her, no matter how much she lies or the things she hides for him, and he’s OK with her shady life too. And yes, he’s there to protect her, even when she resists his best efforts).

Shawnee is a fascinating character. I hope we’ll get to learn more about her in future books, because although we get some snippets of information (we know her parents died and she was brought up in foster homes where bad things happened, and we learn that she later became a cat burglar and is very good at it. She’s also great with computers), a lot remains unexplained. She appears strong and savvy, but she’s emotionally frail, has low self-esteem and she alternates between being self-confident to the point of boastfulness, and presenting as insecure at other times. She makes terrible decisions, and at times I wanted to shake her for being so selfish and egotistical, only interested in her survival.  Because of her insistence in dealing personally with everything and not confessing to her double life to protect herself, other people suffer, and are put at great risk, even her loved ones. Her self-control goes to pieces when the serial killer kills one of her cats, and she becomes totally undone when the Creator attacks her best friend (who is a bit of a comedy character, by turns the voice of her conscience but at others completely reckless). Even then, she has a talent for making her troubles worse by talking too much and being rush.

The serial killer, Jack Delsin, is also fascinating, although we only get to know him indirectly, through his actions that at times are also very puzzling. In many ways, Jack and Shawnee are mirror images and parallel characters. Jack has his reasons (I won’t share any major spoilers but when you read the book you’ll see what I mean) for what he does, he is an ‘artist ‘and takes pride in his work’ (and this is reflected in the comments by some of the policemen and the FBI agent), he also has a hidden life, and loves dogs (Shawnee has her cats). He also enjoys the game of cat and mouse (or cat and dog) and the challenge and is very skilled at tracking people and reading and understanding them. The connection between the two becomes clearer towards the end and it goes some way to explaining Shawnee’s attitude and her comments at the end of the novel (sorry, I can’t say more).

I enjoyed the story, the match of the main characters’ wits ensures plenty of surprises, twists and turns, and there isn’t a moment’s boredom as the pace is relentless. I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy thrillers with a fair share of explicit detail and violence, characters who’ll keep them on their toes, and an element of romance. You’ll be scared and worried, it will make you think, and it even has its comedic moments (two bad decisions don’t make a good one, and taking your friends with you is perhaps not advisable if you’re a cat burglar).  I wasn’t always convinced by the character’s changes and inconsistencies, and I felt that the element of romance and the role Levaughn ends up playing undermined the strength of the main character (I liked the ending but…). The series has plenty of room to explore the main character’s psyche and there are unresolved issues and mysteries that will make us come back for more. I have the feeling that it will go from strength to strength.

Links:

http://amzn.to/1Q7NxY7

http://amzn.to/1Q7ObFf

  Thanks to Rosie Amber for the opportunity to belong to her fantastic team, thanks to Sue Coletta for her book, and thank to all of you for reading. Don’t forget to like, share, comment and CLICK!

#Bookreview The Fireman by Joe Hill Fire (@joe_hill), Apocalypse and Pop-culture with a spoonful of sugar. Who are the really sick ones?

Hi all:

As I mentioned due to my current circumstances (a quick update. My mother had a catheterism and doctors are happy with the results. Hopefully if after further tests it’s possible that she might have been discharged by the time you read this) my posts haven’t been as frequent and structured than usual. Due to how tired both of us (Mom and I) are after these two weeks, and the many things we have to catch up with, I’ll be having a bit of a break. I don’t expect it to be very long, but it might depend on how long it takes to get back on track.

But as I also told you, I’m still reading, and here I bring one of my latest. This is an author I’m keeping watch for. I’ve mentioned before that I love horror (although I don’t read it all that often these days) and I’m a big fan of Stephen King. Well, if you haven’t met him yet, let me introduce you to the latest book by one of his sons, Joe Hill.

The Fireman by Joe Hill

Thanks to Orion Publishing Group Gollancz and to Net Galley for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

I have read three books by Joe Hill before, enjoyed them and I was excited when I saw his new novel on offer at Net Galley. In short, the book offers a post-apocalyptic vision of a world decimated by a fungus with a lyrical name, Draco incendia trychophyton (or Dragonscale for friends), that turns human beings into torches, and the adventures of a particular group of sufferers.

Joe Hill thanks both J. K. Rowling and his father, Stephen King, for the inspiration, and indeed that’s quite evident throughout the book, together with many references to a variety of pop-culture items: songs from musicals, songs from pop and rock groups (yes, there’s a fair amount of singing), hymns, foodstuffs, cars, TV cult series and books, many books. Those will, no doubt, enhance the reading experience of people in the know, although should not affect the understanding or enjoyment of the story for those who might not be fully conversant with all of them.

The story is told (mostly, apart from a few brief chapters) in third person from the point of view of Harper, a school nurse who volunteers to work in a hospital treating those affected when the school she worked at closes doors due to the spread of the infection and its terrible effects (the fungus makes people ignite, and with them, the things and beings around them. And it can set off a chain reaction of burners too). Unfortunately, she becomes infected and shortly after discovers that she’s pregnant. She also discovers that her perfect marriage to Jakob is anything but, and she ends up taking refuge at an old campsite where a group of affected individuals have discovered a way to control the illness. They welcome her into their congregation/community and although she finds it difficult to fit in at first, she becomes a member of the group, joining in the Bright (you need to read it to know what this means, but let’s say it’s a way of sharing and communicating that the younger generation refers to as social networking) and comes to love many of the residents. She also discovers things about herself she didn’t know, and of course, she meets the Fireman, John, and Englishman who seems to have learnt to control the Dragonscale much better than anybody else, and goes around driving an old fire truck and dressed in a fireman’s uniform. In a nod to Ray Bradbury, this Fireman controls fire and sets things alight, rather than putting fires out. He is a larger than life character, although we discover later in the books that he’s all too human.

As is the case in all crises, they seem to bring both the best and the worst in people, and if the point of view we follow puts readers in a sympathetic frame of mind towards Dragonscale sufferers, we gradually see that things are not black and white and not all is harmony.  The congregation seems happy and a haven for people infected at first (indeed for a while it’s a case of those infected —at least the members of the group— appearing to be more humane and morally right than healthy individuals), but over time we discover that whilst the fungus seems to enjoy people’s connectedness and happy emotions, there are risks involved in channelling such power and following blindly what ends up looking scarily like a cult. There are thefts, accusations and resentments, and when two prisoners are rescued, terrible things happen and ugly behaviours rear their heads. There are many secrets, and although we might have our suspicions, by being inside of Harper’s head we only have access to her opinions and thoughts. She is curious and finds out some interesting first-hand information that helps us understand the illness (I loved some of the theories behind its spread, however fanciful they were), but she is also a human being with feelings and emotions. She doesn’t always make rational decisions and she is often wrong. And she wrongfoots us.

The characters are distinct and unique, the good, the bad, and the truly human. I liked and cared for Harper, who is a pretty special individual who comes into her own as the book advances and who indeed is one of the people who grow. She matures and becomes a hero. If her husband tells her he had expected her to be his inspiration, she finds a real family and a calling during her adventures. The Fireman is a fantastic character and I enjoyed the mystery around him at first, and also getting to know more of his circumstances. Many of the secondary characters are also memorable. Nick, the deaf boy who steals everybody’s heart; Allie, his sister, a totally believable teenager who deserves a book of her own; fantastic Renée with her love for books and her courage…

The books is beautifully written, the descriptions not overbearing but vivid and lyrical at times, the story moves along at good rhythm, with chapters that are more contemplative and share information (like the diary Harper reads), and others packed with intrigue, action and a healthy dose of fright. I thoroughly enjoyed it, although I did not find it truly scary (but that’s not necessarily a recommendation for general readers, as I love horror and don’t scare easy). With regards to its genre, I’ve read a few post-apocalyptic stories but I’m not a real buff. To give you some idea based on my previous reading, I’d say that Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel is more contemplative, challenging, philosophical, and made me think more. The Dead Lands by Dylan Morgan (that is more sci-fi) is scarier and grittier but more interested in action and weaponry.

I had a look at the reviews and comments about the book to see if I could shed light or at least my own opinion on the matter. I saw that many people compared it negatively to King’s The Stand, but although I love Stephen King’s books, I have not read all of them and that one has escaped me so far, so I can’t comment on that (although the reviews made me want to read it. The Fireman is much shorter, though). So if you’ve read The Stand and loved it you might want to read the comments first. Of course, you might want to make your own mind up.

Some others didn’t find Harper’s romantic relationship (I’m trying not to reveal any spoilers here) realistic and they think it seems very sudden and as if come out of nowhere. On that subject I agree that there does not seem to be a big build-up or many hints as to the interest between the two, but there are some subtle indications that they are matching souls, and it’s true that at times of emotional turmoil when life might come to an end at any minute one might hold on to the little moments of joy (that without taking into account the interesting effects of the Dragonscale). The novel would have worked without the relationship, but for me it rounds it up.

I enjoyed it as a great yarn, with strong characters easy to root for (and others easy to hate) and great quality writing. I’m not sure it will beat all other post-apocalyptic stories for those who love the genre, but it’s a good read. I look forward to Joe Hill’s next book.

Links to Kindle version (available in many other formats)

http://amzn.to/1YhtU1v

http://amzn.to/1Yhtzfh

Author Joe Hill

I mention in the review that I’ve read three of his books. These was before I started publishing my own books and I didn’t write detailed reviews, although I wholeheartedly recommend Heart-Shaped Box  and 20th Century Ghosts (if you love ghosts and short-stories, some of them are masterpieces). I also read Horns that is a very quirky book (I prefer the other two but this one is perhaps more mainstream. I haven’t watched the movie with Daniel Radcliffe and can’t comment on how good or bad it is).

Biography:

He’s written many more things and some of his stories appear in collections, so you might want to check his Amazon page where I got this from:

The author of the critically acclaimed Heart-Shaped Box and 20th Century Ghosts, Joe Hill is a two-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award, and a past recipient of the Ray Bradbury Fellowship. His stories have appeared in a variety of journals and Year’s Best collections. He calls New England home.

By the way, when I checked his Twitter account it seems he’s in England with the Fireman, so  you might want to keep an eye open for him.

Thanks to NetGalley, Orion and of course Joe Hill for the book, thanks to all of you for reading, and do like, share, comment and CLICK!

#Bookreview Running on Emptiness by John Dolan (@JohnDolanAuthor) Revenge, death, family and an endings of sorts

Hi all:

Today I bring you a new(ish) book, the last one (so far) in John Dolan‘s Time, Blood and Karma series. I had read the other three books in the series, a shorter story related to it, and a collaboration between the author and Fiona Quinn (Chaos Is Come Again. See review here) and I was eager to read this one. When I reviewed the third novel in the series A Poison Tree I took the chance to share the previous reviews again too, so you can read it here. As I say in the review, it’s important that one reads all the books so don’t hesitate to read the review and the books. But without further ado, here is the review.

Running on Emptiness by John Dolan

Running on Emptiness (Time, Blood and Karma, Book 4)  by John Dolan Revenge, death, family and an endings of sorts

“Today, there will be a reckoning.”

It is the summer of 2006. In Thailand, the army makes preparations to overthrow the elected government of Thaksin Shinawatra.

Against this backdrop of political turmoil, destinies are shaped as events ensnare a corrupt Police Chief and his dying wife, two warring drug lords, an embittered widow, and a vengeful gangster.

While dreams and obsessions play out on the streets of Bangkok, private detective David Braddock finds himself mired in guilt. The ghosts of his past misdeeds are coming home, and they are bringing devastation in their wake.

‘Running on Emptiness’ is the fourth volume in the ‘Time, Blood and Karma’ series.

The ‘Time, Blood and Karma’ series will appeal to lovers of the following book categories: mystery, thriller, crime, Thailand fiction, private investigators, British detectives, and amateur sleuths.

Here the links:

http://amzn.to/1O6MMxS

http://amzn.to/1O6MG9F

And here, my review:

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve read all the novels in the Time, Blood and Karma series by John Dolan and have enjoyed them enormously. I read many genres, but I am quite partial to mystery/thrillers. And these ones have a very special protagonist, David Braddock, and amateur detective (or rather a not professionally recognised and trained detective, but he is pretty good and gets paid for his efforts) and again a non-professional therapist, a British man but who lives in Thailand, an amateur philosopher who regularly visits an old Buddhist monk (his best friend), who has interesting an complex relationships with many women and a past full of ghosts.

Whilst the third book in the series, A Poison Tree explored and explained David’s back history and his life in the UK, Running on Emptiness continues with the adventures of Hungry Ghosts where we, the readers, were privy to some information that left us hanging and waiting for disaster to strike. We have a gangster determined to avenge his brother’s death (the only meaningful thing he has left to do in life), a dying woman who before ending her life in her own terms (remaining in charge of her meaning) reveals a dangerous secret, another woman who after losing her job realises she’s been living a lie and tries and find meaning by coming clean, an old man who, disappointed by his children, decides to revisit a shady past he thought he’d left behind to do the right thing. Each chapter is told from a different point of view, and that includes the characters whom we might think of as the good guys (but nobody is blameless, honest and truthful in this novel, at least none of the characters whose points of view we follow), but also the gangsters, corrupt policemen and killers. The action takes place in England (we start with a wedding and we end with a funeral) and Thailand, we have political unrest, and there is also a murder case to solve with magic trickery thrown in, where Braddock (and Dolan) follow on Agatha Christie’s footsteps and pull off a brilliant piece of sleight-of-hand engineering.

The story is told at a good pace, the writing is impeccable and lyrical at times (particularly on the parts from David Braddock’s point of view. He is witty and forever quotable), I must confess I cheered at a point towards the end (but I’ll keep my lips sealed as I don’t want to spoil it for anybody), and in the end, although there are some questions and unresolved issues, I felt we’d reached the end of an era. The complex and alternative life Braddock had built for himself, in an attempt at escaping reality, comes crushing down around him, taking no prisoners.  By the end, although Braddock might not know everything, he’s lost a lot and learned a fair deal about himself, about the people he cares about, about his friends, and about life itself.

I recommend this book to lovers of thrillers and mystery stories with great main characters, those who have a penchant for philosophy and reflections on the nature of life, particularly if you’re intrigued by Thailand, and in general those who love good and memorable writing. But, do read the whole series in the right order, because the sum of its parts is much greater than the individual novels. Congratulations to John Dolan on his epic series. I won’t forget Time, Blood and Karma any time soon. And I’ll be waiting eagerly for more of novels, in the same or other series.

Thanks to John Dolan for this amazing series, thanks to all of you for reading and if you’ve enjoyed it, like, share, comment and CLICK!