Evette Davis's Blog, page 9

Praise for ‘Woman King’

Readers across the land (and perhaps the globe) have been enjoying “Woman King,” and many of them have posted some great reviews on sites like Goodreads, Amazon and Smashwords. Here are some excerpts:

“Let me begin by first saying, WOW, I loved this book from start to finish. Evette Davis’ book truly packs a punch and has plenty to offer including the supernatural, romance, fantasy, politics and more. This is a beautifully written book with an exceptionally strong plot. Be sure to check out her work, I highly doubt that you’ll be disappointed.”  (A.C. Haury, Bibliophile Book Reviews)

“One of the few American writers, in the genre of recreational fiction… concerned with how an intolerant brand of modern Christianity has come to dominate American Politics…(An) unusual blend of a modern political campaign combined with the affairs of Others (fairies, witches, vampires) lifts it above the norm of the current plethora of romantic vampire slush. I’ll be reading the rest of the trilogy, and also looking to see if this author writes non-paranormal stories; I think they would be even better than this.” (Amazon reader review)

“Woman King is a paranormal romance and thriller for the intelligent reader.  It has it all:  political issues, social issues, family issues, witches, vampires, demons, time-walkers, fairies, werewolves, empaths, romance, violence, danger and espionage.  Davis does a laudable job by weaving an intricate story line around a well-developed, blossoming romance.  She ties story lines together and introduces back stories to explain complicated characters.  Moreover, the protagonist is extremely likable and easy to relate to.  This may have been a paranormal book but I found her story to be motivational.  Who hasn’t wanted to turn their back on the world and just throw in the towel?  When Olivia begins her training sessions to get her life back on track, the book becomes nearly therapeutic.” (Rebecca Skane, Seacoast Online)

“In Olivia, (Davis) introduces a new female character to vampire fiction. No helpless but willing victim she. Olivia recognizes the inherent danger of a human entering into a relationship with a blood drinker and she is willing to take the risk—but on her own terms. The tension is palpable as she flirts with, but stubbornly pulls back from, allowing her lover William to drink from her to the point of no return. In a neat plot twist, as her paranormal skills and power mature, those close to her recognize that she is fated to become a leader of the secretive Council.” (Amazon reader review)

“Reminds me of a John Grisham book but ‘Woman King’ happens to include fairies, vampires, witches and werewolves. All of the characters in this book held my attention…” (Goodreads reader review)

“This is well-written, intriguing, and has fleshed out characters. Awesome.” (Smashwords reader review)  

 

Critical mass: Book reviewers weigh in

The book critics are beginning to have their say about ‘Woman King.’ Read a review by Rebecca Skane of the Seacoast Online blog of New Hampshire!

If you come across any reviews of ‘Woman King’ on the web, please pass along links. If you’re interested in the views of other readers, I recommend browsing either my Amazon page or the reader comments on my Goodreads page here.

Dammit, Jim! Women Want to Have Adventures Too

Summer movies are upon us and with their arrival comes the unfortunate role of women in blockbusters.  As the mercury rises and the grass turns brown, female characters are once again relegated to simpering on the sidelines or stuffing themselves into small bathing suits (or cat suits) to enjoy sexual innuendo and banter, while the men go off to save civilization.  Or they spring to life on the big screen as jovial bar whores, as in the upcoming remake of the “The Lone Ranger.”

“Star Trek Into Darkness” got off to a good beginning when it allowed a young Lt. Uhura to join a landing party to confront the Klingon warriors.  Sadly, her bravery was fleeting. She was quickly sidelined, so the men could begin their fight sequences. A brilliant weapons scientist who joins the Enterprise’s mission turns out to be the admiral’s daughter. That might have been be OK as she was prepared to stand up to her war-mongering papa, but not before she’s put in a scene in which she must be ogled by Capt. Kirk as she stands in nothing but a bra and panties.

If aliens were to really land on this planet, they’d be forgiven for mistaking women as feeble creatures unable to do more than pout about their relationship status while their superhero boyfriends break the sound barrier.

This folklore gets worse in today’s popular fiction, where women, it seems, just want to be tied up or rendered useless in a sexual haze by rock stars, underground boxers and other assorted bad boys.

Which leads me to ask, where are the interesting women in popular entertainment?

I wrote Women King as a direct result of my disgust with the way women are marginalized in the course of doing their work. I wanted to create a story where a strong female character could develop, without having to become a cliché.  And I wanted her to have a life that resonated with women like me: educated, professionals who enjoy fantasy and fiction, but don’t enjoy dithering female characters, whose only successes seem to be making men fall in love with them.

So tell me, whom do you admire? Send me a note and I will write another blog post with my responses.

Get thee to the library

I’m happy to report that for those of you who missed my launch party, but were curious about Woman King, I’ll be giving a reading at the San Francisco Public Library on June 5.  While there, I will also discuss some of the lessons I’ve learned from my year-long quest to self-publish.

No big surprise to the other writers out there reading this blog post, but I am a big fan of libraries.  For more than a decade, a big part of my day job, the one that pays the bills right now, has been spent working to help libraries—through campaigns and PR programs.

Beyond the obvious that libraries are fun, they’re also important.  In a city like San Francisco where everything is becoming new and shiny, high-tech and expensive, libraries remain fabulous public institutions that allow everyone—regardless of their income, education, color, sexual orientation or immigration status—to have access to the same information.  It may seem simple, but think about the equalizing power of everybody being able to read Walt Whitman or Harry Potter.  That is democracy in action and in San Francisco, it’s funded by our tax dollars.

As a young girl, I feasted on the banquet that my local library provided. From elementary school to college, I was known to simply plop down on the floor and pull the books off the shelves.  Stephen King, Hemingway, T.S. Elliott – there was no end to my appetite and, thankfully, no end of my supply of books.

To be returning to the library as a published author is a dream come true for me, so I’m grateful to the folks at the SFPL for hosting me.  While there, I’ll review my experiences as a self-published author, discussing my decisions to hire a professional editor and a graphic designer.  It was not an inexpensive endeavor. And yet when I look at my book sitting out there on Amazon and Smashwords, looking every bit as polished as the other books in my genre, I feel that my investment was worth it.  If you’re in town, I hope you will come and join me.  I think it’s going to be a nice evening.

 

 

 

Get Thee to the Library ….

I’m happy to report that for those of you who missed my launch party, but were curious about Woman King, I’ll be giving a reading at the San Francisco Public Library on June 5.  While there, I will also discuss some of the lessons I’ve learned from my year-long quest to self-publish.

No big surprise to the other writers out there reading this blog post, but I am a big fan of libraries.  For more than a decade, a big part of my day job, the one that pays the bills right now, has been spent working to help libraries—through campaigns and PR programs.

Beyond the obvious that libraries are fun, they’re also important.  In a city like San Francisco where everything is becoming new and shiny, high-tech and expensive, libraries remain fabulous public institutions that allow everyone—regardless of their income, education, color, sexual orientation or immigration status—to have access to the same information.  It may seem simple, but think about the equalizing power of everybody being able to read Walt Whitman or Harry Potter.  That is democracy in action and in San Francisco, it’s funded by our tax dollars.

As a young girl, I feasted on the banquet that my local library provided. From elementary school to college, I was known to simply plop down on the floor and pull the books off the shelves.  Stephen King, Hemingway, T.S. Elliott – there was no end to my appetite and, thankfully, no end of my supply of books.

To be returning to the library as a published author is a dream come true for me, so I’m grateful to the folks at the SFPL for hosting me.  While there, I’ll review my experiences as a self-published author, discussing my decisions to hire a professional editor and a graphic designer.  It was not an inexpensive endeavor. And yet when I look at my book sitting out there on Amazon and Smashwords, looking every bit as polished as the other books in my genre, I feel that my investment was worth it.  If you’re in town, I hope you will come and join me.  I think it’s going to be a nice evening.

 

 

 

Now available via Amazon, Smashwords

I am delighted to announce that WOMAN KING is now available for sale on Amazon.com and Smashwords.com. Thank you to everybody who showed your support at the book’s May 9 launch party in San Francisco. Many copies were sold there, but you still can get yours now!

Signing books at my launch in San Francisco.

For those of you who have followed the novel since its debut with JukePop Serials and helped to make it one of the Top 20 stories, I want to extend my sincere thanks. Please visit my website, www.evettedavis.com and follow me on Twitter, @SFEvette.

If you’re in the Bay Area, you can join me for a reading and discussion that I’ll hold on June 5 at the San Francisco Main Library. Details are on my website.

I hope you’ll enjoy my writing, share your feedback, and please remember to tell your friends about WOMAN KING!

Cheers,

Evette

More Music: The Three Blind Mice and their playlist

I recently posted a list of some of the music that inspired me while I was writing “Woman King.”  What I forgot to do, however, was to share what a sample set would look like for William’s band.

Those of you who’ve read “Woman King” know that William is Olivia’s love interest. He’s also a 180-year old vampire who plays in a bluegrass band called Three Blind Mice. They manage to get in a few performances in the book, although I don’t go into much detail about the songs.

My inspiration for William and his band is Devil Makes Three, a trio from Northern California who play a kind of punk country that’s truly infectious.  They’re very talented musicians, and I was lucky to catch them at the Fillmore in San Francisco at the end of 2012.

Based on that inspiration, I decided to create a list of songs Three Blind Mice might cover if given a chance to perform, and you can check it out using the Spotify playlist above. I’d love to hear from you about what you think Three Blind Mice might play. Send me an email! — Evette

Many faces of Golden Gate Park

The motivation for writing a story can come from just about anywhere. For me, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park is a major source of inspiration.  The park is an ever-changing place, sometimes bathed in sunlight, sometimes drenched in fog drizzle. I am fortunate to take almost daily walks through the park. And each one of those visits has opened my eyes to a hidden world that I felt compelled to write about.

Walking through the park is a wonderful series of adventures that can take you from broad open meadows to hidden ponds and then on to majestic vistas with fabulous views of San Francisco Bay. It’s a haven for birds of all kinds–especially ravens that perch on the edge of buildings and trees. They scold us as we walk past.

On some days Golden Gate Park is so encased in fog that it is impossible to detect another human being until they are almost upon you. In those moments it can be difficult to tell friend from foe. When the fog blows in so hard, the wind whips the trees around, sending drops of water falling down upon the ground like rain.

On other days, the sun filters through the ancient cypress trees like a da Vinci painting, an otherworldly light show that tempts one to believe in heavenly intervention.

As you can see, the park is a special place for me. And of course, it’s a major setting in “Woman King.”

Have you been to Golden Gate Park? Are you planning a trip? I’d love to hear more about your favorite places or experiences. Please send me a note! – Evette

It’s only rock ‘n roll, but I like it: Playlist for the book

Isn’t music wonderful? I can’t speak for other writers, but music has a great deal of influence on my writing. “Woman King,” for example, shares its name with a song by Iron and Wine, an amazing indie bluegrass band.

I have to confess that I can’t actually have the music blaring while I write. But when I’m exercising, walking in the park or just sitting quietly, I let the songs I’m listening to spark my imagination.

Sometimes one song can be the key to an entire scene in my book. And you’ll probably notice that music and musicians play a major role in the “Woman King” trilogy.

Sadly, I’m not musically inclined. I play no instruments and can’t sing a note. But I love to listen and, thanks to apps like Spotify, I can indulge my curiosity and explore all kinds of genres and artists from around the world.

I’ve decided to share a playlist of songs connected to “Woman King.” I hope you enjoy the music. Maybe you’ll even be able to tell which chapters connect to specific songs. Feel free to drop me a line and let me know about the music you enjoy! – Evette

Aimee Mann – Looking for Nothing

The Devil Makes Three – Aces and Twos

The Rolling Stones – Soul Survivor

Split Enz – I Got You

Cat Stevens – Hard Headed Woman

The Doors – Moonlight Drive – New Stereo Mix Advanced Resolution

Alanis Morissette – Head Over Feet

The Devil Makes Three – Poison Trees

Allen Toussaint – St. James Infirmary

Crowded House – Amsterdam

The Rolling Stones – Sympathy for the Devil

The Psychedelic Furs – Here Come Cowboys

Natasha Richardson – Mein Herr

WOMAN KING breaks Top 20 on serial fiction website

Since its debut with JukePop Serials, a website devoted to emerging authors of fiction, “Woman King” has been voted one of the top stories on the site. Thank you to all the readers who read and voted for it!

If you’d like to read the first 20 chapters of Woman King, here’s your chance!

 

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