Book Review: Mother Earth Father Sky – by Sue Harrison

Author: Sue Harrison
Publisher: Doubleday
Date: June 1990
Genre: prehistoric fiction
Pages: 313, hardcover
Price: US $19.95, CD $24.95
My rating: An amazing, startling, satisfying read.

Mother Earth Father Sky is the first book in a trilogy that takes us into the lives of an ancient North American people in Alaska. If that sounds boring, don’t be fooled.

To be honest, I hardly know what to say about this book. At the writing of this review, having just finished reading it I’m barely back to the here-and-now, and the story of Chagak is still fresh in my mind. To say that Sue Harrison wrote an amazing prehistoric fiction novel scarcely describes what she masterfully accomplished. Over the course of nine years she studied, researched and lived in her creative mind the tale of a long ago culture in Alaska, focusing on one Aleut woman’s struggle to survive and overcome a very harsh reality. That woman, Chagak, lived in a primitive time consisting of warrior tribes, legends, crude customs, myths, and magic, but also love, family ties, and community. The author made it all come alive through the power of the written word in a very easy-to-read style. I was held from the beginning of this book to its last page – left wanting to read more about the people I had come to know.

This book is not newly released but was published in 1990. I was fortunate to be gifted a copy and I’m so glad to have received it. If you come across Mother Earth Father Sky and you are not offended by the cruel reality and graphic descriptions of the belief system of prehistoric man, then do grab the opportunity to read this book.

(my apologies for the less than ideal image of the book)

You can find Mother Earth Father Sky listed on my BUY THE BOOK! page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

Interview with Penny Zeller & book giveaway

You haven’t had to wait long for this promised interview. For my review of Kaydie you can read my May 7 post, but now I am delighted to introduce Penny Zeller (image below on the right), author of Kaydie.

Penny Zeller is the author of several books and numerous magazine articles in national and regional publications. She is also the author of the humor blog “A Day in the Life of a Wife, Mom, and Author” (www.pennyzeller.wordpress.com). She is an active volunteer in her community, serving as a women’s Bible study small-group leader and co-organizing a women’s prayer group. Penny devotes her time to assisting and nurturing women and children into a closer relationship with Christ. Her passion is to use the gift of the written word that God has given her to glorify Him and to benefit His kingdom. Kaydie follows McKenzie in Montana Skies, her first series with Whitaker House. When she’s not writing, Penny enjoys spending time with her family and camping, hiking, canoeing, and playing volleyball. She and her husband, Lon, reside in Wyoming with their two children. Penny loves to hear from her readers at her Website, www.pennyzeller.com.

Penny, welcome to my blog. As we begin this interview the first question on the agenda is: Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

Hello, Lynn! It’s great to be here. The happiest days of my life were the day I married my husband and the times we became parents to our two daughters.

I like your priorities. Now, your most recent book is Kaydie, which is Book 2 in your Montana Skies Series and was just released last month. Can you please give us a brief synopsis?

I am thrilled about the release of Kaydie. A short synopsis is as follows:

For the first time in years, Kaydie Worthington Kraemer can breathe easily. Although she is still haunted by memories of her abusive husband, Darius, she takes comfort in knowing the man is dead. Staying with her sister McKenzie and brother–in–law, Zach Sawyer, at their ranch, Kaydie is still wary of men, especially now that she has another life inside of her to protect. As she looks forward to her baby’s birth, she builds a protective wall around herself that won’t be easy to tear down.

Ranch hand Jonah Dickenson views his boss, Zach, like a brother. He does not, however, envy Zach’s new role as a husband. Deserted by his mother at a young age and forever despised and rejected by his own father, Jonah has few close relationships. But there’s something about Kaydie that draws him to her and makes him question his decision to remain a bachelor.

When Cedric Van Aulst, an old friend of Kaydie’s, comes to town, an unforeseen prospect of marriage arises. Cedric is someone Kaydie trusts. Will she settle for a safe union with him, or can she trust God to guard her heart and her life in the arms of Jonah?

Cindy Sproles produced a fantastic book trailer for Kaydie, which can be viewed athttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vwihs6rsqDk

Is there any person who has been a strong influence in your writing journey?

When I was in second grade, my teacher, Mrs. Vernon, encouraged me to never stop writing stories about Jesus (I began my writing career rewriting Bible stories and publishing them in homemade cardboard books).

In addition, my husband and children have been strong supporters of my writing. As far as influencers or mentors, I would have to say authors Sharlene MacLaren and Amanda Cabot have been wonderful mentors to me.

When you were a child did you have a favorite book or books?

I was an avid reader as a child. I loved Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden mysteries and read every copy of those books I could get my hands on!

This is funny and not something I have shared much, but beginning when I was 10 or 11 years old, I also loved the romance stories in the back of “Good Housekeeping Magazine.” In those days, the stories were wholesome and I would sneak outside with my mom’s copy into our playhouse to read. I loved the stories because they would have pictures of the characters drawn by an artist with a little tidbit under each picture, such as “Lydia thinks she’ll never love again – that is until James unexpectedly walks into her life…” I laugh when I think of those early days reading those stories. I suppose I have always been a romantic at heart!

Have you ever felt like giving up? When did you finally believe in yourself so you can say “I am a writer”, or did you never doubt your calling?

I definitely have felt like giving up. As a matter of fact, I can think of two times when I was determined to “throw in the towel.” Once was when I was a beginning writer and writing magazine articles. The second was a couple years in my career.

I have loved to write since I was in second grade. In the year 2000, I quit my full time job in a field of social services to stay home with my infant daughter. It was then that my passion for writing was rekindled. I began with writing magazine articles, and in 2003, had my first book published.

Why do you write the kind of books you do?

Writing is my ministry, and I pray daily that the path of writing that I have chosen in life will glorify the Lord. I am in constant prayer for wisdom, guidance, and that my books would be life-changing – that they would bring others to the Lord or closer to the Lord. I have chosen Psalm 19:14 as my life verse: “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

Do you have a favorite Genre to both read and write?

Historical romance is my favorite genre to write, followed by contemporary romance. In third place would be nonfiction, which I also enjoy writing as well. As for reading, I would have to say my favorite is historical romance. There’s something neat about being able to pick up this genre and escape into a simpler time.

What process do you go through when writing and perfecting a story?

I first write the story as it comes to me. Usually, I have thought about the story beforehand and have “watched” the scenes unfold in my mind, as though it was a movie. Secondly, I have an editor friend who goes through all of my work before I submit it to my publisher. After my editor at the publishing house goes through it, we talk on the phone about any changes that might need to be made. I then go back and make those changes. I am blessed to have a wonderful editor at Whitaker House!

There is a lot of work that goes into writing and perfecting a story. I remember before I was a writer, I used to wonder why it took so long for the sequel of a book to be released. Now I know! *grins*

What method do you use to keep track of your writing ideas?

Good question, Lynn! Let’s see…I have several file folders, each one labeled with the book idea. I then include any pages I have written in that folder.

What inspired you to write McKenzie and Kaydie: The first two books in your Montana Skies Series?

My family and I were in a car accident a couple years ago where I suffered neck and leg injuries. During that time period of seven months, I was also hit with back-to-back bacterial infections. Because of the injuries and illness, I was pretty much homebound and my active athletic lifestyle suddenly became limited. I look back now and praise God that He gave me McKenzie, as well as two other manuscripts (another historical and a contemporary) I wrote in that seven month period of pain and illness. God took what was a difficult time for me and turned it around to something positive that can be used for His Kingdom – taking the time to write the books that I had always wanted to write.

He has since healed me and I pray daily that the path I have chosen in life will glorify Him.

Wow! That reminds me of an incident in my own life, not nearly as dramatic, but through it He led me to write something very meaningful. What prompted you to write about the Montana Territory?

Our family has traveled extensively through Montana on road trips. We have visited two well-preserved ghost towns, which provided me with so much inspiration! I love the scenery and the history of Montana and couldn’t wait to base my characters in that setting.

How long did it take you to write Kaydie? Did you have to do any research?

It took me a couple of months to write Kaydie. I did do some research, mostly online, but because I had already researched and written McKenzie (Book One in the series), the research time wasn’t as extensive. For Kaydie, the setting was in the same town and in the same year as McKenzie, thereby making research easier. 🙂

Good planning. 🙂 Did you find any part of the story difficult to pull together?

Actually, yes. Halfway through writing Kaydie, I came to a stopping point – a type of writer’s block if you will – where the words didn’t come nearly as easily as they usually do. I prayed about how to proceed and I felt God say to me “wait on Me.”

I’m glad I heeded God’s guidance because when I stepped out in obedience and didn’t try to force the words, but instead waited on Him by putting Kaydie aside for a time, something amazing happened. When I revisited Kaydie, the words began to flow again at a pace I could barely keep up with. More than ever, I now continue to fully submit to the Lord – and fully rely on Him – for the words and the direction of every aspect of my writing.

Did you, or do you ever, write a little of yourself into any of the characters? Do you have a favourite?

I take bits and pieces of different people and write them into my characters. I do think there would be bits and pieces of me in characters too 🙂 For example, Kaydie is very sensitive, which would be one word I would use to describe myself.

As for a favorite character, I really can’t name just one. They are all different and special in their own way. My goal is to make the characters as realistic as possible and allow them to face struggles, as we all do.

How did you go about finding an editor? A publisher? An agent?

I’ll start with the easy question first…I’m different than a lot of authors because I don’t have an agent, per se. I consider my agent to be the Lord.

For my books, I have had four different publishers. It’s been different in how I found each of those publishers, but for my Montana Skies Series (Kaydie, McKenzie, and Hailee), I actually found the listing for Whitaker House, my publisher, in the Writer’s Market book. After much prayer, I submitted a query letter to the editor. She responded with a request for the manuscript. I was ecstatic! Writing Christian historical romance has always been my goal (even though I have enjoyed the nonfiction and the children’s fiction book I wrote as well). When she accepted the manuscript and contracted me for a series of three, I was so humbled and honored!

That’s interesting. I consider the Lord to be my Editor-in-Chief, hadn’t thought beyond that. How do you find time to write when you are busy with life?

Prioritizing is for sure my most difficult writing obstacle. To be honest, Lynn, I’m still working on figuring how to effectively do just that! *grins*

But really, I think prioritizing is one of the biggest challenges of being a writer, especially since I work from home and have a family. I have posted my writing hours on my office door, not so much for visitors, but for myself. It reminds me that if I don’t set time aside for my writing, it will be spent doing a host of other “necessary” things.

I have to be deliberate about putting aside time for my writing. I work while my children are in school and then quit for the day when they come home. My husband and my children are my main ministry, so they are the most important. I also do a lot of volunteer work. In order to keep my priorities in perspective, which is critical, I spend a lot of time in prayer seeking God’s guidance in using my time wisely.

How do you consistently write? Do you have writing goals – daily? Weekly? Monthly? Long range?

I am currently working on a second historical romance series set in the post-Civil War era. I have written the first book and am now working on the second one. I also have several other standalone books in the works.

I commit my time each morning to the Lord and write as He prompts me. Some days, I write 6,000 words. Other days, it’s 2,000 words. Some days, I don’t get the chance to work on my current book at all because I am spending time doing marketing projects. There is a lot of marketing that is done with the release of a book!

You mentioned having another book in the making, can you give us some insight on what it’s about?

I just finished the third book in the series, Hailee, which is scheduled for release later this year. Here’s a little teaser about what’s to come:

Times in Pine Haven have changed over the past few years. The town has doubled in size and Montana has become a state. Bethany Ethel is now the older sister to spunky seven-year-old twin brothers who find great delight in providing trouble for the new teacher, Miss Hailee Annigan. The Sawyers have added to their own family with daughter, Chloe; and Lucille Granger continues her antics as the town busybody.

Faith. Love. Hope. Forgiveness. This recent installment of the Montana Skies Historical Romance Series explores all four in the continuing saga of a peek into the lives of those who call Pine Haven their home.

I’m also working on a historical romance series that takes place in the Post-Civil War Era. I’ve finished book one in the series and have started writing book two.

Your ‘fluency’ amazes me, Penny! Is being a writer/author all you had hoped or thought it would be? Any advice for hopefuls?

I am blessed to be an author. It has been a dream of mine since I was seven. It is hard work and takes perseverence, but I feel it is worth it.

When I meet a reader or fan face to face, I love to chat with her about what she envisions herself doing for God’s Kingdom and how can I pray and encourage her in that pursuit. If she is pursuing her dream as a writer, I tell her that one of the most important things to remember in being a writer is that if God has called you to do it, He will guide you every step of the way.

I would advise her to give her writing to the Lord and to not give up! I speak from experience when I say that when He closes one door, He opens another (much better) one.

I offer more suggestions for sticking with writing on my blog at www.pennyzeller.wordpress.com.

Great advice! Where can readers purchase a copy of Kaydie?

Kaydie is available everywhere books are sold, including Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Kaydie-Montana-Skies-Penny-Zeller/dp/1603742174/ref=pd_sim_b_1

Where can fans find you on the internet?

I love to connect with my readers at my website www.pennyzeller.com,

my blog www.pennyzeller.wordpress.com,

on Twitter at http://twitter.com/pennyzeller, and

on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Penny-A-Zeller/96391560959?ref=ts

Do you have any parting comments?

I would like to thank you, Lynn, for having me here, and also thank my readers for their support and encouragement. I couldn’t do it without you.

Thank you, Penny, for this very inspiring interview. I wish you continued success in your journey with words to the Glory of God and for the blessing of your fans.

Readers, I hope you have enjoyed getting to know more about Penny Zeller. Penny and Whitaker House ( http://www.whitakerhouse.com ) are donating a copy of Kaydie to one of you.

If you would like a chance at winning a copy of Penny’s book simply post a comment here on my blog, telling what you most enjoyed in the interview. Enter only once, please. I will put the entries into a basket and at 9:00 pm (8:00 EST) on May 18 my husband will draw out the winner’s name. I will contact that person for his/her mailing address. If I do not get a reply by 8:00 pm EST on May 21 we will select another name – so check back!

Thanks for reading this interview, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

Interview with Laura Best & book giveaway

This is what you have been waiting for, so get comfy! 🙂 You can read my January 18 post for my review of Bitter, Sweet – but now it is my great pleasure to introduce Laura Best, author of Bitter, Sweet. Laura has lived in the small community of East Dalhousie, Nova Scotia her entire life. Her fiction has been published in literary magazines across Canada, including The Antigonish Review, Grain, and Room, and she was a contributor to two Christmas anthologies published by Nimbus. In 2003, her short story “Alexander the Great” was nominated for the Journey Prize.

Laura, welcome to my blog. I’m delighted to have you as my first interview participant. 🙂 To start things off, please tell us a little about yourself.

Nice of you to invite me to your blog, Lynn. Besides being a writer, I’ve been married for thirty-one years. I have three children, two girls and a boy, and last year I became a grandmother for the first time. I belong to the Writer’s Federation of Nova Scotia and I’m also a member of CANSCAIP. I’m very much interested in local history, and I’m a member of the local museum Society as well as a volunteer with the local church.

When did you first know you wanted to be a writer? Who or what inspired you?

Although I enjoyed writing at a very young age, and continued to write through high school, I never considered it seriously as an option until after the birth of my third child. That was when I realized that I needed to do something for me, and right away I knew that ‘something’ was writing. Did anyone in particular inspire me? Not really, it was more of a matter of necessity in the very beginning, a strong need to express myself with words.

As a writer, do you do much reading? Who were/are your favourite authors or books?

Because a lot of my time is spent writing I don’t get to read as much as I’d like to, but I think I read a fair bit. A day does not go by that I don’t read something. There are a lot of authors whose work I really enjoy: Donna Morrissey, Jill MacLean, Christy Ann Conlin, Syr Ruus, Jan Coates, Ami MacKay, I could go on and on. Some of these are writers that I’ve met within the past two years whose work I thoroughly enjoyed.

Have you ever felt like giving up? When did you finally believe in yourself so you can say “I am a writer”?

It took quite a few years and a few published stories under my belt before I really believed that I was a writer. When I could actually tell others that I was a writer without a flicker of self-consciousness then I knew deep in my heart that I was. For many years I was a closet writer. Very few people knew my secret. I didn’t know anyone else who wrote and I was about as removed from the writing community as anyone would want to be. I didn’t even know a writing community existed. Writing in isolation like that takes a lot of determination. I might not have felt like a writer back then, but I was determined that one day I would. So much has changed for me since then. I’ve met more writers this past year than I could ever have imagined. My oldest daughter is also a writer and last Fall we both had work published in the same issue of R.E.A.L. Seems like I’m surrounded by writers and it feels pretty good.

As far as giving up goes, I think most writers feel like giving up at some point. Writing is not for wimps. It’s a lot of hard work with many disappointments along the way. My times of discouragement are always short-lived because when I’m completely honest with myself I know that I couldn’t give up. Even if I never had another thing published I would still write.

Do you have a motto or Bible verse or quote that you try to live by and that helps to keep you going?

I do have a favourite verse from the Bible. “For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.” I truly believe that everything happens in its own time and that we need to have patience and faith. I try to keep in mind that no matter what is happening in my life that there is a purpose.

What do you remember about your very first time to be published, how did that happen?

My very first publication came in 1993. It was a short story that I submitted to The Amethyst Review, a literary journal right here in Nova Scotia. I saw an article about the journal in the Chronicle Herald and it mentioned that they were one of very few journals who offered feedback on the submissions. Since I’d never received any feedback it sounded like a good idea. I submitted the first time and my story was rejected, but then I reworked the story with the suggestions they had offered and it was accepted.

That must have been exciting! What have you had published thus far? Of those, what do you most enjoy writing?

So far my list of publications includes over forty short stories published in literary magazines, some non-fiction articles, pieces in two Christmas anthologies and a farm anthology published by Nimbus Publishing. My debut young adult novel, Bitter, Sweet was published in 2009 by Nimbus Publishing. As for a preference, I enjoy writing from a child’s perspective, for me it wouldn’t matter if it was a short story or a novel. I’m happiest writing either.

That’s a wonderful list of accomplishments. What process do you go through when writing and perfecting a book or article?

I usually spend some time thinking about the story I want to write before I begin. When I’m writing fiction I always need to have a character in mind before I start writing. I sometimes jot down notes as ideas sometimes come to me at the oddest times and when I’m no where near my computer. I’m not one of those writers who work from an outline. For me, it’s sometimes a matter of showing up on the page each day to see what will happen. I sometimes get surprised! When I’m not writing I’m often thinking about my characters and getting to know them better. I tend to edit as I write, and will go over a paragraph or sentence many times until I’m satisfied with the way it sounds.

What inspired you to write Bitter, Sweet?

The inspiration for Bitter, Sweet came from a newspaper clipping that I’d saved for a number of years about a family of kids who get in some trouble with the law. I saved the clipping thinking that a similar situation might one day make a good scene for a story. I wasn’t sure in the beginning if it would be a short story or something longer. Then one day out of the blue a line came to me. Turns out it was spoken by Pru, the eldest daughter in the book. When I got further into the story I began to see that it was going to be much longer than a short story and as more and more ideas came to me I knew I was writing a young adult novel.

How long did it take you to write Bitter, Sweet? Did you have to do any research? And how did you come up with that title?

Bitter, Sweet came about very quickly and ideas seemed to flow quite freely. I think I wrote it in about three or four months. Setting it in the community where I live I think helped immensely. It was easy to write about the things I grew up knowing about.

Although I had some knowledge of healing plants I needed to do more research on that topic. I had to check to make sure that the deadly nightshade plant actually grew in Nova Scotia. I was pretty sure it did but since it plays such an important role in the story I had to be positive.

The title is in reference to the deadly nightshade plant or bittersweet. The Publisher wanted to keep the title I had chosen because they felt it was the perfect title for the book even though there were many books on the market with bittersweet in them. The comma between the two words was the publisher’s idea to help set it apart from other books with the same title. Now that I’m used to the comma I couldn’t imagine it not being there.

Did you write a little of yourself into any of the characters? Do you have a favourite?

It’s difficult for a writer to choose a favourite character. We tend to like all the characters we create on some level. But if I had to choose, I’d probably say that Pru would be at the top of my list.

I think most authors put a bit of themselves into their characters. It would be difficult not to. I enjoyed writing the character of Issy the most, and her dialogue seemed to come so easily. Since I happen to share some of Issy’s beliefs, I’d probably answer yes to that question. I can see some of my own traits in Issy.

How did you go about finding a publisher? an editor? and do you have an agent yet?

So far I’ve hardly given any thought to acquiring an agent, but one never knows what the future will hold. When I submitted a synopsis of my story and a few sample chapters to Nimbus I waited about eight months before I heard anything. At that point I was asked to submit the entire manuscript. Four months after that I received a call from Penelope Jackson, the Children’s Book Editor. Nimbus wanted to publish my book. When it came time to edit the book Caitlin Drake was assigned as my editor. She was wonderful to work with. The rest is history.

Bitter, Sweet has been on a thrilling publicity ride. Besides your book making an appearance in the Hallmark movie November Christmas, tell us what honours this book has received thus far.

Last July, Bitter, Sweet was shortlisted for the Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People. This is a national award presented by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre in Toronto and it was an honour and a thrill to be nominated alongside some of Canada’s best known YA writers.

You are not only a writer but you have a job to go to every day, so how do you find time to write when you are busy with life?

Since my job allows me to have months off at a time I probably am fortunate to have more writing time than writers who hold down a year round job. Oddly enough, it is during those times when I am working that I tend to get more writing done. When my time is limited I make writing a priority. I set aside a specific time to write in the evening and I try my best to stick with it.

What other interests do you have for a change from writing?

My others interests would naturally include reading, but I’ve been known to do a little knitting as well. While I like to try new things I also know that any other hobbies would take time away from writing.

How do you consistently write? Do you have writing goals?

While the idea of writing goals sounds appealing to me, and I know having goals works well for others, I haven’t found that to be the case for me. Setting goals doesn’t allow for those unexpected things that crop up, revisions that you hadn’t planned on, a new plot twist, those kinds of things. I do like to keep a record of my daily word count so that I can at least look back on the progress I’ve made so far.

Do you have another project in the works? Any hints you can share with our readers about that?

I’m working on another novel at the moment. I don’t often discuss my work with others. All I will say is that it is young adult and set in a fictitious community in Nova Scotia.

Oh, that sounds intriguing, I look forward to reading it. Finally, do you have any advice for hopefuls?

The best advice I can give to hopefuls it to write as much and as often as you can. Pay close attention to any comments that editors send your way. Forget the notion that your work can not stand to be improved upon. Everything can be improved. You’ll start to know when you’re getting closer to publication. Those comments will be laced with a sweet touch of sugar as your writing get stronger. Lastly, don’t give up. If you believe in your talent keep working at it, perfect it to the place where someone will want to publish it.

Great advice! Thank you so much for this interview, Laura. It’s been fun learning more about you and I wish you much continued success.

Readers, I hope you enjoyed getting to know Laura Best a little better. Visit her blog, being sure to check out her Publications link and her November 29 post: http://www.lauraabest.wordpress.com

Also, Nimbus Publishing generously donated a copy of Bitter, Sweet for me to offer here. Check them out at: http://www.nimbus.ns.ca

Would you like a chance at winning this copy of Laura’s book? Simply post a comment here on my blog, telling what you most enjoyed in the interview. Enter only once, please. I will put the entries into a basket and at 9:00 pm (8:00 EST) on February 14 – Valentine’s Day – my husband will draw out the winner’s name. I will contact that person for his/her mailing address. If I do not get a reply by 8:00 pm EST on February 21 we will select another name – so check back!

Thanks so much for reading my first interview, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

Interview and book-giveaway coming soon!

It is a stormy night here, snow, freezing rain, wind. Nice night to be home snuggled in where it is warm and dry.

For your information: An interview with Laura Best is in the works. Soon I will post it here for your enjoyment. Also, I will be offering a free copy of her book to someone who posts a comment on my blog in response to that interview, duplicates will not be included. I will write down all names and put all the little slips of paper into a basket, then I will have my husband draw one out. The winner will receive a copy of Bitter, Sweet – by Laura Best and donated by Nimbus Publishing. Yay!

Before the interview is posted I will fine tune the details. So stay tuned!

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

Book Review: Bitter, Sweet by Laura A. Best

Book Reviewed: Bitter, Sweet
Author: Laura A. Best
Genre: Young Adult; historical fiction
Pages: 144
Price: $10.95
Released: October 2009
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing, Halifax, NS
My rating: Great read for young adults and adults of all ages

In December 2009 I read Bitter, Sweet by Laura A. Best. Her book was released in October of that year and late in November I purchased a copy at a local bookstore the day Laura was doing a book signing. It was a pleasure to meet her in person. I urge you to take the opportunity to meet authors when they are putting themselves out there to meet the public at book signings.

This week I re-read Bitter, Sweet and I must say that I enjoyed it even more the second time through.

Laura based her story in Dalhousie Road, Nova Scotia, Canada, in the 1940’s after World War ll, and captured a glimpse of the history of rural Nova Scotia sixty years ago. The family she created comes alive with interesting authentic dialogue and cleverly written point of view that holds the reader’s attention. I was drawn in right from the first words in chapter one.

The Burbidge family of six moved around a lot, but then finally settled into an old house in a secluded area. They struggled to get by, especially when the father went away to work and soon stopped sending money home. With him not in the picture anymore, and their mother becoming very ill, the four children have to learn how to survive and stay together should they end up alone. Their mother teaches well her older daughter, Pru.

Laura wrote in a way that lures the reader emotionally into the lives of this family whose story is told mainly by Pru. I found I was dismayed by the actions of one child, annoyed by the attitude of a nosy overbearing neighbour and disappointed by a trusted adult who turned out to be untrustworthy in a time of need. I felt the desperation of the children and sided with them in their trying situations.

Without giving away the story – in case you haven’t yet read Bitter, Sweet – I will hint that the challenges of life touched by those who had gone before added an interesting dimension to the story. There are unexpected twists and the reader is left with unanswered questions to answer however one wishes, and not in a disappointing way.

I encourage you to add Bitter, Sweet – by Laura A. Best – to your library. It has received much attention since its debut and is a book well worth reading – twice!

You can find Bitter, Sweet listed on my BUY THE BOOK! page.

Watch for an upcoming interview with Laura A. Best.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

Book reviews & author interviews

It has been almost two weeks since NaNoWriMo ended and I have not added to my story yet. It was so much writing jammed into that month that I lay my pen down and have not picked it up to continue. I do plan to do that, though, the story is still playing in my head. And the PiBiIdMo ideas are waiting to be filled out into complete stories, as well.

Although Christmas is two weeks away and I have TONS of things to do, now I am thinking about books and authors. I have MANY books to read, some older ones and now lots of newer ones (mostly YA) have been added to my waiting reading stash. But something that has been working around in my mind, besides writing book reviews of some of the books I read, is to attempt interviewing authors. I have a few authors in mind whom I would like to interview after I read their books. I think it is great promotion for them, assuming people actually come here to read our conversations. 🙂 And I do believe in helping with that promotion.

What do you think of these ideas? Would you like to read my book reviews and interviews of authors?

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂

Day 27: NaNoWriMo & PiBoIdMo

Saturday, Day 27 of NaNoWriMo. Wow! What a day this has been. First of all, in the morning my husband and I went to town to the Farmers Market where I purchased three Chr istmas gifts (just couldn’t resist) after I met local author Jan L. Coates – which is why we went there today. She is delightful! She signed my copies of her newest book – A Hare In The Elephant’s Trunk – and we chatted a bit. (Actually, I’m sure I talked too much. oh dear) I urge you to check out this website: http://www.wadeng.org

I have several books I am eager to read — three books for which I will be writing reviews. I will be posting those reviews here on my blog, just as I did on October 26 after reading Max Lucado’s book – Out Live Your Life. But I am especially so looking forward to reading Jan‘s book after NaNo is over. I heard an interview on the radio several weeks ago and was touched by the story, built around a true and tragic story. I will probably write about her book here, too.

When we returned home I got down to writing. For hours I sat writing, getting up to walk around or stretch, and to make myself a lunch in the middle of the afternoon. Just before midnight I punched in my new numbers. I’d managed to write 3525 words today! Yay! That takes me up to 38,527 words written for this challenge so far. Now it feels more as if I can win this NaNo challenge, whereas I was beginning to doubt myself the last few days. Now I have it 78% completed! Almost 11,500 words have yet to be written – in three days – but now it is reachable again. I just have to aim for 4000 words a day (which I haven’t done yet!) and I’ll have it, with extras as security. 🙂 Piece ‘o cake, right?… Right?

An idea for PiBoIdMo came through right around midnight. I now have 40 ideas for that challenge. It has been fun in a different way doing PiBo.

I believe I can call myself a writer after all this, what do you think?

What does it take for you to see yourself as a writer? Or if you are not a writer, then what makes you believe in your talents and abilities?

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂