Tag: author anthony avina

Olympian Love (Olympian Love Trilogy Book 3) by Andrya Bailey Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews1 Comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A heartbreaking end to her whirlwind romance comes back full circle after a chance encounter with her former flame’s rival brings back her true love, and the agonizing reality of what happened between them in author Andrya Bailey’s “Olympian Love”, the third book in the Olympian Love Trilogy.

Advertisements

The Synopsis

The third book in the Olympian Love trilogy – not a stand-alone volume.

When she returns to Houston after leaving Nikos in Greece during one of the most troublesome times of his life, Sabrina is miserable and heartbroken. She promised Maggie she would never talk to him again – that was part of their deal which resulted in her ultimate sacrifice.

Her graduation is upon her, but she can’t get Nikos out of her mind. A chance encounter with Aleksy, Nikos’s rival, reopens her wounds, and when she learns Nikos will be back in town, she’s beside herself. Would he ever forgive her? Tormented between breaking her promise to Maggie, which could have dire consequences, and afraid of losing Nikos forever, she faces an agonizing reality. Will she ever have the courage to answer him ‘why’ and reconquer the man she loves?

The Review

The delicate balance of heated passion and heartbreaking romance is powerfully explored early on in this read. The author brilliantly explores the tragedy and painful experience of love lost and the experience of having to sacrifice one’s love for a powerful cause. The imagery and tone the author strikes with this narrative are so vivid in detail and make the scenes come to life in the reader’s mind. I will say that while the book can be read as a stand-alone for newcomers like me to the series, having read the previous books in this trilogy will definitely add more depth and emotional connection to these amazing characters.

The character growth and the heat in the main character’s interactions are definitely the heart of this story. The raw emotions that Sabrina experiences as she returns to her home and struggles with the sacrifices she had to make are heartbreaking to read, and feel so real that readers want to reach out and comfort the young woman. Yet the balance to that emotion comes with the raw heat and passion that strikes between her and Nikos once more in this story, and as the complexity of their relationship is explored, so too are the depths of their need for one another, creating a very heated and adult narrative.

The Verdict

Passionate, entertaining, and captivating, author Andrya Bailey’s “Olympian Love” is the perfect final chapter of this enrapturing Greek romance. The highs and lows of Sabrina’s journey and the exhilarating backdrop of Greek history and mythos were extremely engaging to read about, and fans will be eager to dive deep into her entanglements with Nikos once more. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Andrya Bailey is an award-winning contemporary romance writer. She enjoys traveling and visiting museums and historical landmarks where she can learn about art and history, which she usually incorporates into her stories. She loves to write love stories with strong alpha males and exotic scenarios – after all, what better romance fantasy is there?

Olympian Passion, the first book in the Olympian Love trilogy, has received the 5-star seal from Readers’ Favorite and is the 2016 New Apple Literary e-book Contemporary Romance – Solo Medalist winner. Olympian Heartbreak, the second book, is a 2018 New Apple Literary “official selection” in the romance category.

Follow her Facebook page to find out more at facebook.com/andryabailey and on Twitter: @andyb0810.

Sign up for her newsletter: eepurl.com/dgdaqD

Website: andryabailey.com

https://twitter.com/AndyB0810

Kwelengsen Storm: Logan’s World, Book One by David M. Kelly Review Due

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews1 Comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A brutal attack on a lone settlement on an alien world leaves one man struggling for survival and fighting against a powerful enemy in author David M. Kelly’s “Kwelengsen Storm: Logan’s World, Book One”.

Advertisements

The Synopsis

You can turn your back on war, but sometimes it refuses to let you go.

When Logan Twofeathers takes on the job of head of engineering on Kwelengsen, the first habitable planet discovered by Earth, he thinks he’s leaving conflict far behind. But when he investigates the loss of a deep-space communications relay, his ship is attacked and crash-lands back on the planet.

With his new home destroyed by the invaders, Logan is stranded deep in the frozen mountains with an injured sergeant who hates him almost as much as the enemy. Against the ever-present threat of capture, he must battle his way through icy surroundings in a treacherous attempt to find his wife.

And when he’s forced to ally himself with a disparate group of soldiers and their uncompromising captain, Logan must face the reality that he may have lost everything—and everyone—he loves. Will he choose to fight? And what will it cost him?

Kwelengsen Storm is the first in a gripping, new sci-fi thriller series from the author of the Joe Ballen novels.

The Review

This gritty and captivating sci-fi read was so engaging from the outset. The balance of sci-fi action with emotional storytelling was perfect to read. When an invasion story takes place, the sci-fi narrative focuses on Earth as the invaded world, but it was so refreshing to see this alien world become the home that was being fought over, and the “invaders” were a lot more similar to the people of the settlement than most invasion narratives. 

The author really did an excellent job of crafting a narrative that felt vibrant and alive while developing such a rich protagonist that readers could root for while feeling the emotional depth of their plight. Logan Twofeathers is a fantastic character that helps explore some of the novel’s deeper themes, from the impact of violence on a person’s mind, the need for hope in desperate situations, and the harm that comes from those who cannot look beyond the things that keep people divided. 

The Verdict

An incredibly well-written, entertaining, and brilliant piece of deep sci-fi reading, author David M. Kelly’s “Kwelengsen Storm” is a must-read novel. The perfect start to Logan’s World Series, the novel pushes the protagonist to his limits and highlights the weight that survival can bring to a person. The action and suspense surrounding the reason behind this invasion will have readers on the edge of their seats, and by the book’s final pages, the cliffhanger ending will leave readers desperate for more. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

David M. Kelly writes fast-paced, near-future sci-fi thrillers with engaging characters, cynical humor, and (mostly!) plausible science. He is the author of the Joe Ballen series (Mathematics of Eternity, Perimeter, Transformation Protocol, and Intersection), the Logan’s World series, and the Hyperia Jones sci-fi humor series.

David’s interest in science and technology began early. At the age of six his parents allowed him to stay up late into the night to watch the television broadcast of Neil Armstrong stepping on to the surface of the moon. From that day he was hooked on everything related to science and space.

An avid reader, he worked his way through the contents of the mobile library that visited his street, progressing through YA titles (or ‘juveniles’ as they were known back then) on to the classics of Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, and Harry Harrison.

David worked for many years in project management and software development. Along the way his interests have included IPSC combat (target) pistol shooting, crew chief on a drag racing team, and several years as bass player/vocalist in a heavy rock band. He also managed to fit in some real work in manual jobs from digging ditches and work on production lines to loading trucks in a haulage company.

Originally from the wild and woolly region of Yorkshire, England, David emigrated to Canada in 2005 and settled in Northern Ontario with his patient and supportive wife, Hilary. Foot surgery in 2014 temporarily curtailed many of his favourite activities – hiking, camping, piloting his own personal starfighter (otherwise known as a Corvette ZR-1). But on the plus side, it meant a transition from the world of IT into life as a full-time writer—an opportunity he grasped enthusiastically.

David is passionate about science, especially astronomy and physics, and is a rabid science news follower. Never short of an opinion, David writes about science and technology on his blog davidmkelly.net. He has supported various charity projects such as the Smithsonian’s Reboot The Suit and the Lowell Observatory Pluto Telescope Restoration. He also contributes to citizen science projects such as SETI@home.

https://davidmkelly.net/
https://twitter.com/David_Kelly_SF

Drummond: Learning to find himself in the music by Patrick R.F. Blakley Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A young middle school kid struggling both academically and at home finds himself a new family when he is asked to join the high school marching band, and discovers more about himself than he thought possible in author Patrick R.F. Blakley’s “Drummond: Learning to find himself in the music”.

Advertisements

The Synopsis

Drummond is tasked with joining his high school marching band’s drumline and needs to find himself to succeed. You, like Drummond, might find yourself overthinking your life, or sometimes struggle to understand what you want to do with your future. The book is about figuring out who we are inside, then learning how to fit in. Drummond grapples and second-guesses himself throughout the book, but dealing with outside factors isn’t easy! Finding some unexpected help along the way guides him into his role in the band, and in life. When family life outside of the band gets dark, Drummond needs to fit into his new family within the marching band!

The Review

This was such a brilliantly written and captivating YA Genre Fiction read! The author expertly crafted a relatable and genuine narrative that felt alive on the page, and the imagery and tone the author captured ranged from the desolate to the passionate depending on the protagonist’s environment and mood. The themes of finding a community to belong to, nurturing one’s gift, and seeking family in the face of chaotic home life all played a central role in the protagonist’s narrative. 

The character growth was the heart and passion of the story in this book. The balance the author struck between Drummond’s turbulent and struggle of home life with the newfound passion and inspiration he finds, (as well as a new family), in his life in the marching band. The attention to detail the author puts into the actual percussions of the book and Drummond’s lessons in the marching band will ring a special note with music enthusiasts, and the nuanced way the author explores family dynamics will be widely felt in this reading.

The Verdict

Engaging, thought-provoking, and a special rhythm all its own, author Patrick R.F. Blakley’s “Drummond: Learning to find himself in the music” is a must-read YA Genre Fiction novel! The author’s own personal background in percussions and the origins of this story resting in the author’s previous children’s book make this story shine so much more brightly, and the personal touches the author puts on the narrative, as well as the emotional connection readers will form with Drummond, make this such an incredibly moving read. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Patrick R. F. Blakley is a SAMMY award-winning percussionist from Syracuse, New York. He is a music judge for the New York State Field Band Conference and participated in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2018! Patrick has written two technical marching percussion books and also a children’s book called Drummy Drum Joins Marchy Band. The children’s book inspired his Drummond novel, which explores the question of why a drum would join the marching band in the first place. As it turns out, the drum was just a projection of his inner-self and Drummond had to find out who he really was inside! Drummond then uses that newfound information to try to fit in and connect with his new family!

https://patrickrfblakley.com/publications/drummond/
https://twitter.com/atwoslottoaster

Interview with Authors John Mondragon and Kelly Alblinger 

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn InterviewsLeave a comment

*NOTE: In this interview, JM refers to author John Mondragon, and KA refers to author Kelly Alblinger*

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

JM:  I’m an American-Palestinian husband/father of 2 beautiful boys, currently living in Maui, HI. I’m the youngest of the boys and I wasn’t very social growing up, so I always kept a journal with me to doodle and write whenever I got bored or needed to keep busy. Writing was my friend growing up and stuck with me ever since.

KA:  I’ve been a writer and a storyteller all my life but I’ve only been writing professionally for about six years. I am a prolific ghostwriter with dozens of works to my (unnamed) credit, having crafted everything from blog posts to articles to DIY guides, biographies, memoirs – even a book based on an original musical score. My great-uncle was the author of the beloved novel “Where the Red Fern Grows”, so I think writing is in my DNA.

Advertisements

2) What inspired you to write your book?

JM:  A couple things inspired this book. My oldest brother who plays one of the characters in the story suffers from a mental disorder, so he was a big inspiration. I also went through personal life traumas that helped create the story. Lastly, hearing of so many suicides/depressions of children and young adults played a big role in wanting to find a way to reach out to the public.

KA:  Prior to TCIM, I had not ventured into the YA genre. It was challenging to write from the perspective of a twenty-something male, and even more of a test to factor in the state of the protagonist’s mental health challenges. My hope is that readers will find the voice authentic and representative of some of the challenges they face.

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

JM:  The mantra created for the book is “Speak Up and Speak Out”. My message as an advocate of mental health to readers is to help spread awareness on this subject and create a platform where people who struggle or feel embarrassed can feel safe and heard! There have been so many taboos surrounding mental health and I want to help normalize the illness.

KA:  I find the characters in TCIM to be fascinating. They are different facets of the same person characterized as individuals. I wanted to portray the anxiety and isolation that we all occasionally feel, but in a more extreme way. Dissociative Identity Disorder gave me the opportunity to delve deeply into those feelings.

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

JM:  The drama genre isn’t something we planned but sort of fell upon when the story unfolded. It turned out to be great and I really enjoyed the intensity of the book.

KA:  My son is in the same age range as the characters in the book, and I wanted to write about personalities that he could relate to. 

Advertisements

5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

JM:  Charlie is by far the most impactful character in my opinion because when he arrives there’s a drastic turn in the narrator’s life. Charlie likes to take charge and is a bully who always gets his way. I would ask Charlie, why he is the way he is? 

KA:  Instead of one character, I’d want to talk to the parents. I’d want to pick their brains to find out why they chose not to seek treatment for him when a diagnosis was made. Was it the cost of treatment, or societal pressure to conform, not to stand out? Did they fear judgment from the community? Did they feel ashamed or that DID would be a negative reflection on their parenting? 

6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

JM:  I have a lot of friends on Facebook so that’s where I get most of my attention from an audience.

KA:  Currently Facebook is the primary means of engaging with our readers, but there will soon be a presence on Instagram and possibly Twitter as well. 

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

JM:  No matter how hard it gets, fulfill your dream of becoming an author. It took me over five years to finally publish my first book. Don’t give up! 

KA:  My advice to beginning authors is to believe in yourself. That might sound cliché, but it’s SO important. If you don’t believe that you have a good story or concept, no one else will believe it either. My second piece of advice is: EDIT!

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Are any new books/projects on the horizon?

JM:  A sequel to The Clash Inside Me is definitely something I want to do. We’ll just have to wait and see.

KA:  I have a number of book projects currently in the works – a memoir and two novels, specifically. My intention is to bring a variety of experiences to readers, so I endeavor to change up the characters and situations in each story.

Advertisements
THE CLASH INSIDE ME REVIEW

About Author John Moondragon

John Mondragon is a self-published author of his first novel “The Clash Inside Me” and a caring father and husband.

He is passionate about helping people understand the importance of mental health matters, and encourages others to speak up and speak out.

Join the newsletter for The Clash Inside Me and get a bonus PDF mental health workbook: https://www.subscribepage.com/theclashinsideme

English book links: https://books2read.com/theclashinsideme/

Spanish book links: https://books2read.com/michoqueinterior/

Buy The Clash Inside Me Merch: https://the-clash-inside-me.creator-spring.com/

Follow John Mondragon on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mondragon.Author

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mondragon.author

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/John-Mondragon/e/B09KQT3L28/

Interview with Scott Kauffman 

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn InterviewsLeave a comment

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

My fiction career began with an in-class book report written in Mrs. Baer’s eighth-grade English class when, due to a conflict of priorities, I failed to read the book, necessitating an exercise of the imagination. Not only was I not found out, but I snagged a B, better than the C that I received on my last report when I actually read the book. Thus began my life-long apprenticeship as a teller of tales and, some would snidely suggest, as a lawyer as well, but they would be cynics, a race Oscar Wilde warned us knew the price of everything and the value of nothing.

I am the author of the legal-suspense novel, In Deepest Consequences (Medallion Press), loosely drawn on two murder cases from earlier in my career, and the coming-of-age novel Revenants, The Odyssey Home (Moonshine Cove Publishing). I am a recipient of the Mighty River Short Story Contest and the Hackney Literary Award. My short fiction has appeared in Big Muddy, Adelaide Magazine, and Lascaux Review. I will admit to being an attorney in Irvine, California, where my practice focuses upon white-collar crime and tax litigation with my clients providing me endless story fodder. I graduated summa cum laude from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, (where Walter Tevis, author of Queen’s Gambit, was my first fiction professor) and in the upper ten percent of my class from Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon, where I was a member of the Environmental Law Review and received the American Jurisprudence Award in Conflict of Laws. I can be found at www.scottkauffman.net.

Advertisements

2) What inspired you to write your book?

As I said above, my first novel In Deepest Consequences was loosely based upon two murder cases from earlier in my career. Revenants, The Odyssey Home, was drawn from the death of my late-wife’s uncle in Viet Nam, who is the only member of an MIA recovery team known to have died in combat. My inspiration for Saving Thomas was seeded in a general revulsion arising during some or another election campaign at those politicians who may have served but then try to get elected by trafficking in the dead who never came home. So I started to ask myself a series of what if questions. Such as what if someone had served and suffered but was honor bound never to reveal he had served and suffered and because of it suffered all the more? Which lead to more what if questions. The end result of all these what ifs the book you read and reviewed.

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

Saving Thomas explores the age-old themes harking back to the Old Testament and Homer of betrayal, redemption, and ultimate forgiveness. All of us have been betrayed in our lives by those we love. All of us in turn have betrayed those we love. But if we are to come to terms with our betrayals, both those suffered and inflicted, we must move beyond a shattered trust to commence anew. Hope will reveal itself when we reaffirm those bonds of commitment, and it is in our finding a way forward where forgiveness will be found. 

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

I don’t consider myself a genre writer. When a story with legs comes to me, I write it not caring where Barnes & Noble will shelve it. Having said that, I think it was Nietzsche who said melodrama is right versus wrong whereas tragedy is right versus right with no good outcome. I am drawn to tragedies.

Advertisements

5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

My villain, Erec Renard. This guy has to have at least a dozen stories to keep a writer employed.

6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

Twitter and Instagram.

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

Learn from other writers. Revise, revise, revise, then revise some more. Master the rules of Greek rhetoric passed on down to the Romans, lost in the Dark Ages, resurrected during the Renaissance, and rediscovered in England just about the time Shakespeare was penning his plays and King James’s scribes were translating the Bible into English and give their works so much power, mimicking the power of Bach and Handel through repetition and point/counter point. Power you can hear in Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream. Perhaps most importantly, remember that being published is someone else’s call. It’s impossible to know what to write to please those someones and may not be where your writing comes from. But someone’s first book changed you. Know there are others waiting for yours.

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Are any new books/projects on the horizon?

Next up, Finding Forest: A death-row attorney walks the murderous streets of East Oakland by night searching for the family of the executed client he betrayed twenty-four years before.

Advertisements
Saving Thomas REVIEW

About the Author

Scott is an attorney in Irvine, California, where his practice focuses upon white-collar crime with his clients providing him endless story fodder. His short story “Cat Dance” was short-listed for the 2018 Adelaide Literary Award. He is the author of the coming-of-age novel Revenants, The Odyssey Home (Moonshine Cove Publishing) and the legal-suspense novel, In Deepest Consequences (Medallion Press) and is the recipient of the Mighty River Short Story Contest and the Hackney Literary Award. His short fiction has appeared in Big Muddy, Adelaide Magazine, and Lascaux Review.

Website:www.scottkauffman.net 

Publisher: https://www.thewildrosepress.com/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kauffman_scott 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scottkauffmanauthor/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Scott-Kauffman-Author-402186853680261/ 

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3234487.Scott_Kauffman 

Book Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59610226-saving-thomas?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=81e5CNjnYi&rank=1 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Thomas-Scott-Kauffman/dp/1509238638/ref=sr_1_2?adid=082VK13VJJCZTQYGWWCZ&campaign=211041&creative=374001&keywords=Saving+Thomas&qid=1646075976&s=books&sr=1-2 

The Mindful Brain by Arnon Levy Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A man goes in search of answers to seek the answers to how the brain and consciousness are connected in this unique blend of fiction and non-fiction elements in author Arnon Levy’s “The Mindful Brain”.

Advertisements

The Synopsis 

The Mindful Brain is a meeting place between professional basic issues of psychology, positive psychology, psychotherapy, mind and brain, and human life, from the 21st -century perspective, together with a futuristic fictional story.

Norman, the main protagonist of the story, is an international press correspondent who came to Israel a few years ago. After his girlfriend Tal hits the road on a voyage of self-exploration to the famous Ashram on the island of Lesbos, Norman decides to leave on his own lifetime journey to look for answers to existential dilemmas that have preoccupied him since long ago. After a brief but staggering visit to an old friend who found his safe haven in a small village in Brittany, France, Norman left for Paris, where he met the enigmatic amazing old Kim.

Kim presents Norman with bewildering existential Koan riddles and unveils before him a new conception of psychopathology and psychotherapy and their relations to the riddle of the brain-consciousness relationships. These pointed Norman to a new way of thinking which went beyond the common conceptual paradigms and opened the gate to his in-depth understanding of his inner world and the world in which we live. The last chapters describe the sermon on the mountain in which Norman integrates all the groundbreaking insights that emerged during his journey, into a whole unified view of the meaning of the human story.

The Review

This was an absolutely thought-provoking and engaging story! The author struck such an incredible balance between fictional storytelling and real-world applications to psychology and the study of the mind overall. The way the author challenges the reader to answer questions about themselves throughout the book and examines how our brains are able to tie into the greater concept of consciousness overall was so mind-bending and had me really enraptured with the author’s words. The practices and techniques discussed and spoken about will also benefit readers who are searching for methods of searching inward for answers to their more existential questions about life. 

The fictional aspect of the narrative was also quite captivating. The characters felt very fleshed out and realistic, while the narrative took on a great idea of blending futuristic settings and elements into a more “magical” quality of storytelling. For me, the blend of fiction and nonfiction ties greatly into my interests in the point in which science, magic, and reality all intersect, for I do believe that there is a point that exists like that, and this book really captured that heart and theme quite well.

The Verdict

Memorable, captivating, and wildly entertaining, author and Prof. Arnon Levy, Ph.D.’s “The Mindful Brain” is a must-read novel and an absolutely engaging read. The exploration of psychology and the mind overall within this fictional setting is so unique and creative and does a great job of attracting a wider audience as a result that will devour this book instantly. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Prof. Arnon Levy Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist and psycho-anthropologist. His book “The Mindful Brain” results from his 40 years of clinical experience in psychology, psychotherapy, psychopathology, and coaching psychology. In his previous books, arnon established the basis for the concept of Dynamic Positive Coaching Psychology discussed in “The Mindful Brain”. Arnon founded and directed Coaching Psychology programs at Tel Aviv and Bar Ilan Universities and supervised his graduate students to a Ph.D. degree in coaching psychology in collaboration with Middlesex University UK. Arnon was the chairman of The Israeli Association for psychotherapy(IAP) and is today Vice President of the International Society for Coaching Psychology (ISCP).

www.studycoaching.org

www.dr-arnonlevy.com

Interview with Clarissa Pattern

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn InterviewsLeave a comment

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing? 

As a kid I was in and out of hospital a fair bit, reading and writing were my escapes from the long hours of loneliness. My first stories were about dead things that came back to life; maybe one day I will have to revisit those early ideas, because I truly think what the world is missing is tales about reanimated egg shells! 

Advertisements

2) What inspired you to write your book? 

Because it took me many years to write, lots of different people and events have influenced the final published novel. My initial inspiration though, was a simple scene of a young pickpocket at Shakespeare’s Globe theatre being so enchanted by the actors on stage that a yearning for a different life sparkles in his heart. 

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book? 

Something I’m always drawn to is the power of friendship and the importance of finding the right place in life. In essence it’s such a simple message that is contained in one of the best-known childhood stories we’re told: the ugly duckling needs to find his swan family instead of trying to fit in with the ducks who bully him. But it’s so easy, especially in this brave new world of social media, to be constantly comparing and contrasting yourself to the wrong people and feeling inadequate when you should be concentrating on what makes you as a unique and wonderful person shine.  

4) What drew you into this particular genre? 

The coming-of-age genre is so powerful and relatable as everything is felt so intensely in both its freshness and its rawness. I don’t know how true it is, but I read somewhere that because of how the brain develops and the random shooting off of hormones, that the love you experience as a teenager is the strongest love you’ll feel in your life.  

Advertisements

5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why? 

My characters are constantly chattering away in my mind, but it’s actually really strange thinking of having an actual conversation with them, they ignore me and just talk to each other all the time!  

A sneaky little voice in my head is saying that as William Shakespeare appears in my novel, I could choose him to yank into reality and ask him any number of literary conundrums. But I think it’s more in the spirit of the question to choose one of my purely fictional characters, so I will ask Black Jack if he believes that John can truly see faerie folk? Black Jack is a very practical person surviving in the dirt of Renaissance London, but I wonder if living and loving someone who is literally away with the faeries half the time, how his view of the universe would change. 

6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership? 

I am not sure if it counts as social media, but my publisher likes Booksirens, I personally have been exploring readersfavorite.com and have found some wonderful people there. I have to mention the Historical Fiction Company too as they gave me a 5-star medal and a silver award in their book of the year competition, so I obviously love them. A couple of readers have found me on Facebook and that has made me smile a lot, people from different countries liking my book enough to reach out to me is so validating for an insecure, self-doubting, introverted blob like me. 

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there? 

Writing can be lonely and fraught with doubt, so find yourself some great beta readers, people who can give you honest feedback that you respect.  

There are a lot of places online to share your writing and to meet other authors, so spend the time to find the place where you feel like you fit and make those connections. I’ve heard from friends that a lot of writers in writing groups can be pretty selfish, they only want to share their stuff, but aren’t willing to give the time to other people’s work. Although we’re naturally deeply involved in our own creativity, make sure you are not one of those people, always be kind and attentive to what other writers are doing and you will attract the awesome people who will nourish your books.

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon? 

Everything being well(ish) in these crazy times, I should have a novella coming out with tRaumbooks later this year.  It is a contemporary story about the mental torment of being a teenager. Beyond that, there may be some more stories in the Airy world. Or there might be a story about robots keeping humans as pets. My imagination is a weird place of glittery rainbows and murky half emerged krakens, I am never certain what will grab and take my muse hostage next.

Advertisements
Airy Nothing Review

About the Author

Clarissa Pattern studied English language and literature at the University of Oxford and has lived in the Oxfordshire area ever since. She has been writing ever since she could hold crayons and scribble across the wallpaper. Aside from writing, she spends as much time with her kids as they’ll put up with, ignores almost all the housework, and has an ever-increasing list of books she’s frantic to read. Her stories have been published in various anthologies over the years, and in August 2021, she released her first novel, a magical, historical YA called Airy Nothing.

#Main page

Moss by Joe Pace Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

After his father passes away, a struggling writer who spent his life in his successful father’s shadow finds his late dad’s unpublished work, and must struggle with whether to use it to launch his own career while learning more about his father’s past in author Joe Pace’s “Moss”.

Advertisements

The Synopsis 

Isaiah Moss was one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century. His illegitimate son Oscar Kendall wasn’t. Living in Isaiah’s inescapable shadow, Oscar has become an inveterate quitter who hides his own literary work from the world rather than suffer the pain of failure or rejection.

But when Isaiah suddenly dies, Oscar inherits the old man’s lakefront writing cabin in New Hampshire. There he finds his father’s typewriter, a full liquor cabinet, and an unpublished manuscript of such genius that it could launch Oscar’s career if he claims it as his own.

But as Oscar wrestles with his own twisted inspirations, he meets the women in Isaiah’s life and begins to learn the depths of his father’s secrets…and the costs that come with unresolved trauma and romantic delusion.

The Review

This was a truly profound and moving read. The author did an incredible job of crafting a character-driven narrative that excelled in the most personal and intimate of ways. The emotional pull of the narrative and the honesty in which the author crafted these characters was both relatable and yet mesmerizing to behold, especially with main characters Oscar and May, who each hold a past of hardships and struggles in their own right.

There were quite a lot of truly memorable themes in this story, but two of the ones that stood out the most were the complexity of loss and the legacy of war. These themes were profound as they reflected Oscar and May’s individual journeys perfectly. The heartbreaking reality of Oscar’s non-existent relationship with his late father and the path he must walk to find empathy and understanding for others who are suffering is felt strongly, while May’s experiences with the war and how it has impacted her not only physically but emotionally and mentally as well are greatly explored and keep an honest dialogue going within the reader throughout the narrative.

The Verdict

Heartfelt, poetic, and engaging, author Joe Pace’s “Moss” is a must-read novel. The intense and layered struggles that we as humans face and the way in which we relate to one another are thoroughly explored in this narrative, and the heart of the narrative focuses on connections and how we engage with one another despite past experiences or traumas made this such a moving read. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Joe Pace is a writer of literary and science fiction. He studied political science and history at the University of New Hampshire, and his writing reflects his ongoing academic and practical interest in both.

Joe has also served in elective office, taught American history, and worked in business banking. His assorted interests include comic books, pickup basketball, Greek mythology, and the occasional marathon. He was elected student body president as an undergraduate at the University of New Hampshire and then served nine years on the Select Board in Exeter. After coming up short in a bid for New Hampshire’s Executive Council, he returned to municipal governance as a Selectman in his new hometown of Kensington. 

As a storyteller, he seeks to weave memorable characters and places with unforgettable stories that speak to the human condition. His literary inspirations include John Irving, Lloyd Alexander, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Patrick O’Brian. He’s also an unapologetic Star Trek, Marvel, and West Wing guy. 


Joe was born and raised in seacoast New Hampshire and still calls it home with his wife, Sarah, their sons Bobby and Xavier, and their dopey dogs Sam and Joy.

https://www.joepacewritehouse.com/

https://twitter.com/JoePaceforNH

The Oberlynn Origins: Prequel to The Oberlynn Generations Series by J. Traveler Pelton Review

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviews2 Comments

The foundations for a family legacy that will withstand the test of time take center stage in author J. Traveler Pelton’s “The Oberllyn Origins: Prequel to the Oberllyn Generations Series”. 

Advertisements

The Synopsis

In the beginning, the kidnapped ancestors of the Oberllyn’s had to rescue themselves from slavery in a strange land. How does someone travel from the freedom of tribal lands to Scotland and back again generations later with their integrity unblemished? Who were the true barbarians, the colonists or the native peoples? Travel back with us to the time when trees were tall, the settled country was being invaded by refugees from a failed civilization, and two young people made the best of a terrible situation. They founded a dynasty. However, their first task was survival.

The Review

This was a truly compelling historical fiction/drama. The author really drew the reader in, capturing the raw and visceral nature of early life in the Americas and how the Native American people were treated so cruelly by the settlers. Yet the action and history moved quite quickly, allowing brief yet impactful glimpses at the multitude of events throughout the 18th and 19th centuries through the eyes of this vastly growing family. 

The way the author was able to connect the larger story of the Oberllyn Family from the original trilogies to this prequel was so engaging. The descriptive nature and wide cast of characters the author employed into the narrative was magnificent to behold, and really made the settings come to life in a very real way. The attention to detail the author utilized to the language and actions of the people back in those eras was so precise and made the characters feel alive on the pages.

The Verdict

Memorable, engaging, and awe-inspiring, author J. Traveler Pelton’s “The Oberllyn Origins: Prequel to the Oberllyn Generations Series” is a must-read novel. The history, the culture, and the examination of several generations of what would become a prominent family in the author’s other series made this such an entertaining read. The story was heartfelt and emotional, and the characters were so vibrant on the page that readers won’t be able to put down this book until the very end. If you haven’t yet, download or purchase your copy of this amazing story today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements
CLICK HERE FOR MORE J. TRAVELER PELTON CONTENT!

About the Author

J. Traveler Pelton was born in West Virginia in the last century. She is active in her home church and was the Nation’s Mother for her tribe for several years. She is still wife to Dan after 47 years (He is so long-suffering!), mother of six adults, a grandmother of nine, a Clinically Licensed Independent Social worker in private practice, a retired adjunct professor of social work at her local university, and an avid reader. She lives on a mini-farm with her husband, seven alpaca, a flock of spoiled chickens, five Siamese cats, four Pomeranians, a talkative Amazon parrot named Gizmo, and her aviary of canaries. Traveler enjoys the intersection of fantasy, possibility, creativity, and speculation. Join her on the other side of the imagination tree. She’ll be sitting there waiting for your visit.

travelerpelton.com