Review: Open Slowly by Dayle Furlong

When I’m in the mood to read poetry, I generally stick with my old favorites: Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Sylvia Plath. I’m always looking for a good collection of contemporary poetry, but I’m picky. I don’t want a book of greeting-card rhymes, nor do I want the poems to be so complex that it’s impossible to extract any meaning. Open Slowly by Canadian poet Dayle Furlong (published by Tightrope Books) exceeded my expectations and earned a place on the shelf displaying my worn Dickinson anthology.

Open Slowly is divided into three sections. The first, Impossible Permanence, features many poems about youth and many images of nature. What I like best about Open Slowly is that the poems offer a narrative, and Furlong’s imagery is vivid.

In “Bite the Wind,” Furlong shows a little girl questioning man’s destruction of nature:

She’s quick for a seven-year-old, notions of revenge taut:
‘If you cut trees for paper,’ she says,
‘Paper will get you back and cut your fingers.’
Got it all figured out, passive paper: sly, full of cunning slits
siphoning into gentle skin. (page 14)

I love the imagery in “The Ceremony”:

First trickles, innocent fat flakes,
arrive like the unpinned strands of a winter bride’s hair
flirtatious coils wrapping themselves around branches
slyly. (page 26)

The second section, Tonic & Brevity, appears to have more sensual, harsh, and dark images. Here are my favorite lines of the poem bearing the same name, and there is a sort of beauty to them:

I’d wear pretty dresses
and meet men from big cities
but you, my rural troubadour,
are the one in the end–the one who
loves me softly. (page 37)

The harshness is evident in “You Were Here,” which opens with:

Leaves, giant tongues
veins plump–forked lightning bolts (page 39)

Here is another example of Furlong’s ability to pull you into the poem and visualize it. In “Two Graces,” she writes:

There are moments when the older woman’s confidence
flattens against her skull
like wet tissue
deodorant stains like dry onion skins cling
to the mid-section of her blouse:
she wears hurry and fear on her waist. (page 51)

The darkest poem in the collection is “Say Uncle,” in which a girl is sexually abused by her uncle.

He made many messes with her on mattresses
and was sent to prison where he lay
night after night on a single bed
–stiff as a backbone. (page 49)

The final section of the book, Litany of Desire, is about just that: desire and love. In “Wood & Nails,” Furlong writes:

On your salary we’ll never have a large house
you tell me you’ll build me one
with your own hands and you
squeeze my thighs and hover over me, an arched
roof. (page 65)

Here’s an even better example from my favorite poem in Open Slowly, “Litany of Desire”:

you will enjoy me as
blessed and savage
as I tumble head first into you
you’ll teach me how to use an ellipsis
so that nothing is left out
or unsaid between us– (page 68)

I’ve never been any good at intellectually dissecting poetry. I can’t discuss rhythm, form, or meter; I just know what I like when I hear it. I love to read poetry aloud, and in Open Slowly, the words are simple, sensual, and beautiful. I have no idea what Furlong’s inspiration was for these poems or what she wanted readers to take from her words, but I had no problem coming up with my own interpretation. Open Slowly is contemporary poetry at its finest, accessible to the average reader while still providing much to ponder.

Disclosure:  I received a copy of Open Slowly from Tightrope Books for review purposes. I am an Amazon associate.

© 2008 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.

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Review: Cold Rock River by J.L. Miles

“Adie, you did real fine,” Mama said. “Now stick by your guns.”

“I best not do that, Mama,” I said. “I might shoot him.”

(from Cold Rock River, page 230)

Passages like these help me remember why I love Southern novels, and Cold Rock River easily ranks among my favorites. When I finished Cold Rock River, two words immediately came to mind: pain and hope. J.L. Miles does a superb job describing the many tragedies that plague Adie Jenkins and her family, and she’s able to balance these horrible things with a sense that everything will be all right in the end–even when the end is nowhere in sight.

Adie’s family is forever changed when her youngest sister, Annie, drowns in Cold Rock River. Annie was just three years old, and Adie wasn’t much older. Adie carries the guilt with her into her teens, as she was the one watching Annie at the time. By letting Adie tell the story in the first person, Miles pushes you in the midst of a family struggling but happy one day, one child short and in shambles the next. The book opens with Adie recalling a memory of Annie as a one-year-old choking on a jelly bean Adie gave her and their father’s desperate attempt to save her. Miles immediately grabs the reader with writing that makes you feel as though you’re sitting on the porch on a hot summer night and actually hearing Adie’s words.

The book jumps forward 12 years. It’s 1963 in Cold Rock, Georgia, and Adie is 17 and pregnant. Her older sister, Rebecca, already has a few kids with different fathers; her other sister, Clarissa, dealt with her grief over Annie’s death by eating herself fat; her mother has grown cold toward her husband; and her father has turned to the bottle. Adie is thrown out of the house to deal with her situation as a grown up, and she marries the baby’s father, Buck Jenkins, and moves in with his mother and his brain-damaged brother. Despite Buck’s roving eye, she is determined to make the marriage work. They move to Hog Gap, and Adie meets Murphy, a local chicken farmer and landowner who is immediately attracted to her and allows her and Buck to move into the dilapidated cabin on his property that once belonged to his mammy, Willa Mae.

Adie is forced to care for her daughter, Grace Annie, on her own, and the friendship forged with Willa Mae and Murphy carries Adie through many tough times. On the night of Grace Annie’s birth, Willa Mae reads to Adie from an old journal written during the time of the Civil War by a slave named Tempe Jordan. Adie is drawn to Tempe’s story, which is filled with hardships Adie could never understand. Tempe’s children are sold by her master, and she vows that when she is free, she will find them. Miles seamlessly moves from Adie’s story to Tempe’s journal, despite the obviously different voices. Tempe’s story is just as compelling as Adie’s, and Miles knows how you leave you hanging. Here’s an example from Tempe’s journal (possible spoiler, so feel free to skip the excerpt):

And one night Massah tells him dat, they’s a full moon. And Grady goes out by the dogs like he done all the times before, only this time he comes back in. He gots a club in his hand be thicker than that one he beat them dogs with. That be the bloodiest night I ever sees. Lordy, Lordy–only one them mens be’s alive come morning. (page 140)

Miles then switches back to Adie’s story, and I just about died! The suspense was killing me, and you can bet I burned through the pages to find out what happened next.

Miles throws in twists and turns throughout the book that kept me on the edge of my seat. Would Buck ever change? How does Adie feel about Murphy? Does Tempe find her children? Why does Willa Mae have Tempe’s journal? What happened to Willa Mae’s children, and what’s the deal between Murphy and Willa Mae? But the characters in Cold Rock River are where Miles truly shines. For a young girl without any education, Adie is wise beyond her years, and she is stronger than most people would be in her shoes. Tempe’s voice comes through the loudest, and despite all that she endured under slavery, her spirit, her determination, and her love for her children never died. Though Adie and Tempe steal the show, Willa Mae and Murphy are not to be forgotten. Miles presents them as so warm, tender, and genuinely good that I wanted to move into Adie’s cabin myself just to be near them. (There’s something about the Southern, small-town atmosphere that’s always attracted me. It could be the fact that I’ve spent much of my life living near big cities and need some peace and quiet.)

Cold Rock River has everything I look for in a novel. A good story with multiple subplots and connections that are not revealed until the end, compelling characters, and a setting that comes to life. It even touches on the struggles of veterans returning from Vietnam, and anyone who knows me well knows I’m always looking for books with war themes. This is one of the few books that I see myself re-reading at some point in the future. And I don’t say that lightly, as there are so many books I haven’t read yet and so little time to read.

Watch the Cold Rock River trailer and read the prologue here.

Disclosure:  I received a copy of Cold Rock River from Cumberland House Publishing for review purposes. I am an Amazon associate.

© 2008 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.

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Reviews and Author Interview: Sam’s Quest for the Crimson Crystal and Sam’s Quest: The Royal Trident by Ben Furman

Sam’s Quest for the Crimson Crystal is the first book in a new fantasy trilogy for children by former FBI counterterrorism chief Ben Furman, who tells the story of Samantha “Sam” Costas, an 11-year-old girl whose life changes forever when she arrives at her grandfather’s farm for the summer and stumbles into a different world located in the mountains. She and her grandfather’s dog, Patch, are summoned to Innerworld by the Awokian Prince Buznor. He explains to Sam that she is the Seeker destined to find the Crimson Crystal that prevents the violent Zogs from invading Innerworld. The Zogs are digging a tunnel from Bottomworld and are preparing to attack the Awoks. Sam accepts the mission to find the crystal and save the Awoks, beginning her journey on the back of a dragonfly, fighting dwarfs and other monsters, making new friends, and finding out about herself and her family history along the way.

In Sam’s Quest: The Royal Trident, the second book in the trilogy, Sam moves in with her grandfather for good after the death of her parents, who disappeared on a trip to find the lost city of Atlantis. She is called back to the worlds in the mountains, this time to save her friend, Prince Buznor, and his uncle, King Kaylan, as they journey to find the Originators, the makers of the Crimson Crystal. Her adventure takes her to the World of Bergeron and the Kingdom of Ornia, where she meets “family,” King Vorak and Princess Digan, who could be Sam’s twin. Someone from within the kingdom is helping the evil Pax in their quest to rule the Originators and all the World of Bergeron, and Sam must figure out a way to stop them.

Perfect for kids between the ages of 8 and 12, the Sam’s Quest books show that you don’t have to be extraordinary to be a hero. Sam is an awkward girl with thick glasses and severe asthma that prevents her from playing sports and engaging in other activities with her friends. She is unsure whether she’s the right one to save the Awokians because she’s just plain ole Sam. But in both books, Sam discovers strength she didn’t know she had. Furman does a great job portraying a young girl at a difficult stage of childhood looking to belong. In book two, he paints a realistic portrait of a girl grieving over the death of her parents and her old life and longing for a place that feels like home. The Sam’s Quest books provide children with an escape into different worlds, each with their own people and challenges, and while there is some violence associated with war, it’s not bloody or scary. Sam is faced with many decisions, and she shows a great deal of integrity in her choices. Furman has created a compelling adventure and a good role model who revamps the definition of hero.

Because the books are geared toward middle-grade readers, I wasn’t sure I would enjoy reading them on my own (I’ve since passed them on to my daughter). It took me a chapter or two to become absorbed in the story, but overall, I found it an enjoyable, quick read. I grew attached to Sam, and I was a bit disappointed at the end of the second book because the third one hasn’t yet been released!

Read an excerpt from Sam’s Quest for the Crimson Crystal here.
Read an excerpt from Sam’s Quest: The Royal Trident here.

As part of Mr. Furman’s Pump Up Your Book Promotion tour, I had the opportunity to ask him a few questions about Sam’s Quest.

What inspired you to write Sam’s Quest?

I had an overwhelming urge to vet the deep inner conflicts I had suffered as a child; to understand the yin and yang of my existence. No, not really. A cute girl was behind it all.

So, here’s the start of it. On the first day of my fifth grade history class a new girl with long red hair and green eyes sat a couple of rows away from me. Samantha instantly became my favorite girl’s name. I wracked my brain to come up with something to impress her. I wanted to move closer, but Johnny “the Jerk” who sat directly behind Samantha refused to switch places with me. Our history teacher’s cataracts restricted her field of fire to the first row seats, which would have given me adequate cover, but no sale.

I spin a pretty good tale and I can draw. My answer: A story-boarded Samantha fantasy adventure with drawings and words! As the project gained speed I heard the whispers. She had asthma! Asthma? Was it contagious? No! I added an aspirator that Samantha used to spray in the villain’s eyes, thus defeating him and saving Innerworld! I slipped the finished story on her desk one recess. Then I held my breath as she read it, shoved it inside her desk, and turned around to smile at Johnny, who had just pulled her hair. She never acknowledged me–ever, and feeling like a complete dunce I retrieved the story when no one was around. Thankfully at the end of the school year Samantha moved away, ending my gut-gnawing embarrassment.

Years later I was severely scolded by my sister, who told me to get off my butt and do something with the story. To put things in perspective I have a foot and a half and a hundred pounds on my diminutive older sister. But she’s never given a wit. Growing up I’d tasted her right cross more than once, the greatest since Joe Frazier! I decided to write the Sam’s Quest trilogy for my two daughters. The original core characters and the message didn’t change: To be successful you don’t have to be Superman, even he has a weakness. Keep churning and good things will come of it.

How long did it take to write the Sam’s Quest books, given that you’ve created numerous worlds, creatures, and characters? While writing, how did you keep track of them all?

It took about three years to complete the two young adult books and to get underway on the third. I did the initial cover art for The Royal Trident and a good friend did the coloration. We spent way too much time blabbing about middle tones, highlighting and such. During this span I also wrote my first adult book, a counterterrorism thriller, and I’m about half way through the second. To keep my sanity I bounce back and forth from the bomb throwers to Sam, the bomb stopper.

I started off as a “hip shooter” writer, letting the story meander as it willed. After being crucified by a fine editor (there was so much red ink in the returned manuscript that it required a blood transfusion) I went back to the basics: outlining, story boarding, moving chapters around, character development, all the boring but essential work that’s needed before beginning the serious writing. Developing new worlds, settings and creatures can be a challenge and to keep everything in sync requires a solid blueprint. That said, I always leave enough wiggle room for a creative something that I hadn’t anticipated. That’s the fun of it!

Could you tell us a bit about the next installment of Sam’s Quest? I’m dying to know about her next adventure!

Okay, now the squeeze play is on. I’ll try to couch my answer so that it doesn’t reveal too much.

In Sam’s Quest: The Catacomb of Evil, we circle back to answer some of the unresolved issues about Sam, her parents, the original protector of the Awokians, and how some of the carry-over characters from the previous books fit into the scheme of things.

Sam, Buzz, and of course Patch, are into some serious trouble at the get-go and the intrepid team has to work together to figure their way out. And we take a deeper look into Sam’s main antagonist, the villain in Book 2, who was just too good to dispatch. And though it’s hard to believe, the evil villain has gathered even more sinister and dangerous creatures to destroy Sam. Revenge, yes, but with Sam out of the way the path to world domination is wide open.

Sam encounters new lands such as Digan’s Keep, an ancient stone fortress that’s perpetually shrouded in the red mists of the Black Mountains. There are those that swear the Keep is a live, pulsating monstrous rock creature that obeys the will of its master, the evil force. But most disagree and scoff at the idea that the fortress actually exists.

. . .Protus, the advisor to King Vorak, nervously stepped forward and answered the king. “But sire, these are just ramblings of old men that tell bedtime stories to scare their grandchildren. Of course they are not true. Surely there is no such place.”

Sam looked at Buzz, who gave a slight nod. Yes, the advisor believed. . .

I read that you used to be an FBI agent. What made you decide to turn to writing, or have you always been a writer?

I’ve been writing and drawing since I was five or six. I received a college art scholarship that didn’t pay much, and the full boat athletic scholarship seemed more practical at the time. I warmed the bench for four years as I watched better athletes run up and down the football field. English and art were minors; criminal justice was my major. Writing for writing’s sake took a back seat for a number of years. I was recruited by the FBI after the military, and buddy, you’d better be able to write iron-clad prosecutorial reports that stand up in court. My writing background held me in good stead. I started the Rexus Corporation, a corporate security consulting company, after retiring from the FBI. Three years ago, my oldest daughter assumed the CEO position, which allowed me time to write and paint full time. Not a bad gig.

What are young girls saying about Sam’s Quest? I plan on sharing them with my 8-year-old daughter, who I’m sure will love the story of the reluctant, unlikely heroine.

I hoped that the Sam’s Quest series with a less than perfect heroine would strike a positive chord with young readers, girls and boys alike. I wanted someone they could relate to, someone who could be one of their classmates. I worked hard to show them not only Sam’s inner strength, but her fears and frailties as well. For example, how she copes with her debilitating asthma is a crucial lesson. And despite taking blow after blow, both mentally and physically, she stays steady. She “stands up” and by her wits and tenacity overcomes the most daunting obstacles.

It took just this response from Catherine, ten, who lives in Chicago to make all the effort worthwhile and to bring me to my knees. She said, “Samantha was afraid but kept going and she didn’t let her asthma stop her. I won’t let my diabetes stop me either.”

Here are a couple more. Vanessa, thirteen, is from Dallas. “I really liked the way you described things like how the land and sky was, how that mirrored pool was clear and you could see everything through it. I thought that was amazing! It gave me such great ideas when I was in English class and we had to write an essay on magical places and I immediately referred back to your books. Also I really liked the character Sam and how she was so brave to go through with all these dangerous quests!”

Jason, from San Diego, is twelve and well on his way to being a scientist. “. . .I liked the way Sam and Buzz solved the problems together they ran into on their journey. Everything was logical. The characters were great and scary and the silver sea was cool! Dad’s buying me the next book. Tell me when you write another one. . .”

The kids get it! Mission accomplished.

Thanks very much for taking the time to answer my questions, Ben!

Thanks for the interview, Anna. I truly appreciate it.

p.s. If your daughter is interested in hearing the interviews of Master Patch and Master Telegu, please visit my blog for the podcasts.

Ben Furman would like to offer a copy of Sam’s Quest for the Crimson Crystal to one of my readers and a copy of Sam’s Quest: The Royal Trident to another. The giveaway is open to readers everywhere, but you must enter by 11:59 pm EST on Nov. 19, 2008. Simply leave a comment on this post telling me why you’d like to read the Sam’s Quest books yourself or why you think your children would enjoy them. Please make sure to leave your email address!

**Please note that this giveaway is now closed**

Disclosure:  I received copies of the Sam’s Quest books from the author for review purposes. I am an Amazon affiliate.

© 2008 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.

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Review and Author Guest Post: The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff

Anyone attempting to write about the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, even a sliver of it, will immediately encounter the difficult task of accuracy. That is because on nearly every issue in the Church’s past, and in regard to every person who has played a part in the Church’s often remarkable life, there are at least two, and typically more, combative opinions on what each side sincerely calls “the truth.” In the preface to his 1925 biography of Brigham Young, M.R. Werner states the case plainly: “Mormon and anti-Mormon literature is frequently unreliable.”

(from The 19th Wife, Author’s Notes and Acknowledgments, page 509)

In The 19th Wife, David Ebershoff fictionalizes the story of Ann Eliza Young, the 19th wife of Brigham Young, an early prophet of the Latter-Day Saints. He tells Ann Eliza’s story and that of her family through her memoir; the memoir of her father, Chauncey Webb; a deposition from her brother, Gilbert Webb; letters from her son, Lorenzo Dee; and even a diary entry written by Brigham Young when he was imprisoned for a night due to his unwillingness to pay Ann Eliza alimony after being ordered by the court to do so. These “documents” read as though they really were penned in the late 1800s.

Ann Eliza’s story begins with her parents becoming Mormons and the numerous journeys made by the early Saints until they eventually settle in Utah. Ebershoff presents Joseph Smith’s dilemma after receiving the revelation about celestial marriage, also known as plural marriage or polygamy. The book shows the tough choice Ann Eliza’s parents were forced to make, and her mother ultimately agrees that her husband will take another wife to ensure they will go to heaven. Ann Eliza’s memoir focuses on the hardships polygamy placed upon her mother, and Chauncey’s memoir shows that polygamy wasn’t easy for him either (though he went on to take a total of five wives). Ann Eliza eventually marries Brigham Young and learns the harshness of polygamy herself, ultimately prompting her to leave the Mormon community, engage in a very public divorce, and travel the country speaking out against plural marriage.

Woven in with Ann Eliza’s story is the story of Jordan Scott, a young gay man excommunicated from the Firsts community in Mesadale, a sect that refused to abide by the 1890 decision made by the leadership of the Mormons to end the practice of polygamy. The Firsts’ men have dozens of wives and hundreds of children, the women wear prairie dresses and never cut their hair, and the Prophet is said to run off the community’s young men so that he will have the youngest, prettiest girls to himself. These people are told by the Prophet how to cheat the welfare system, and they believe whatever they are told; Jordan grew up believing France was wiped off the map during a war and only learned the truth after meeting a Frenchman in Las Vegas. Jordan returns to Mesadale after his mother, a 19th wife, is accused of shooting and killing her husband, and Jordan is determined to uncover the truth about his father’s murder.

Ebershoff did a great job creating believable, sympathetic characters, and I was pulled in immediately by Jordan’s story. Ann Eliza’s story is a little slower paced, mainly due to the fact that it is told through various historical “documents,” and though I found it interesting, I couldn’t wait to get back to Jordan, probably because his narrative was so honest, so full of pain and confusion that I just felt for him right away.

I knew nothing about the Latter-Day Saints or the modern polygamist sects when I picked up The 19th Wife, and I still can’t claim to know anything about their faith. Ebershoff tells the story so well, it’s easy to forget that it’s fiction. But it’s important to remember that the story isn’t true, especially when dealing with such a controversial topic as religion. I’ve read several reviews of The 19th Wife indicating that the things written about Joseph Smith and Brigham Young made them uncomfortable, as they were the first Prophets of the Latter-Day Saints. I can understand their reservations, and the book doesn’t portray Smith and Young in the best light, but it’s fiction. Unfortunately, as with The Da Vinci Code, some readers will believe the story to be fact. We should use historical fiction as a starting point for researching the truth, and I’ll admit that I was curious as to how much of The 19th Wife is true and how much is made up and turned to different resources to learn more about the early Mormon church.

The 19th Wife raises a lot of questions about faith, family, and polygamy (of course) and its impact on women and children. Ebershoff does a brilliant job creating compelling characters, making you think about both sides of the story, and shifting from the past to the present and tying them together. With Ann Eliza’s story told from various points of view, you get a chance to see inside the minds of different characters on different sides of the polygamy issue. While the reader knows from the start that Ann Eliza’s story will eventually end with her divorce from Brigham Young, the outcome of Jordan’s story is not known, and the suspense makes the book difficult to put down.

One of the more controversial parts of The 19th Wife is Brigham Young’s prison diary, which required Ebershoff to write from the point of view of the early Prophet. Ebershoff was kind enough to write a guest post about writing in the voice of Brigham Young, which I will share with you now.

On “The Prison Diary of Brigham Young”
By David Ebershoff

When I was about half way through writing The 19th Wife, I realized I needed to hear some of this story in the voice of Brigham Young. Ann Eliza, both in my novel and in real life, had a lot to say about the man who called her his 19th wife. But the more she said, the more I wanted to hear from Brigham in his own words.

In March 1875, the federal judge in Utah charged Brigham with contempt of court in his divorce from Ann Eliza. He was sent to the federal penitentiary, outside Salt Lake City, where he spent one night. Although his imprisonment is a fact, we know almost nothing about how he spent his long hours in prison that night. I began to wonder what jail was like for him. Here was Brigham Young, one of the most powerful men in America, going to jail over a dispute with one of his wives. What did he think about as he rode out to prison, followed, as he was, by both supporters and a throng jeering him? What did he ponder when he looked out through his window into the dark desert night? Was he afraid? Did he think of Joseph Smith, his beloved friend and prophet, who had died at the hands of a mob while in the orange-stone jailhouse in Carthage? Did Brigham have any doubts about what had led him to his incarceration? After some time I became convinced that I had to write a prison diary in Brigham’s voice, one that might illuminate his most private thoughts on a number of subjects, but especially polygamy.

At first I was intimidated by the challenge: who was I to channel such a well-known historical figure. I worried that anything I wrote would ring false to those who know Brigham through the historical record. But I also knew I had to try. The novelist’s job is to imagine the truth, to invent a truth so plausible it is accepted as the way things are and must be. The best way into Brigham’s head, I knew, was through his words, and so I read much of what he wrote and said. Thankfully, many of Brigham’s words – his sermons, declarations, letters, historical writings, and other communications – are well-catalogued and easily accessible. As I read through his written legacy, I began to note how much his voice changed depending on his subject and the context in which he was speaking. In a sermon, for example, his voice could be authoritative and grandiloquent, or it could be subtle and generous, while at other times his words could be interpreted as indifferent or even menacing. In his correspondence with his family he could be avuncular, affectionate, and playful, while other times he could be curt, businesslike, and ironic. The more I read the more I realized Brigham did not speak with one voice, just as most of us do not speak with one voice. His voice adjusted to his audience, his subject, his context. And this realization, basic as it is, freed me up to write what I call “The Prison Diary of Brigham Young” – a fictional journal of Brigham’s night in prison. In it he is affectionate and angry, loving and impatient, open and unyielding. In other words, in the diary I try to show him as a complex man in possession of the rich, contradictory impulses that made him human – and that make us all human.

I wrote this section of the novel in a great burst of energy, just a few days, writing through the night as I imagined Brigham writing through the night in his prison cell. By the end of it, my understanding of Brigham had grown, as well as my fondness for him. Brigham Young’s legacy is both extraordinary and extraordinarily complex. I believe we can say the same of all men and women.

Thanks, David! I really enjoyed reading about how you wrote this particular section of the book, and I appreciate you taking the time to write something for my blog.

David Ebershoff would like to offer a copy of The 19th Wife to one of my readers. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post, let me know why you’d like to read The 19th Wife, and include your email address. This giveaway is open to readers across the globe and will run until 11:59 pm EST on Nov. 19, 2008.

**Please note that this giveaway is now closed**

I’d like to thank TLC Book Tours for giving me the opportunity to participate in The 19th Wife tour! Click here to see the rest of the tour stops for The 19th Wife.

Disclosure:  I received a copy of The 19th Wife from Random House for review purposes.

© 2008 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.

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Review and Author Interview: Falling Under by Danielle Younge-Ullman

Miraculously, he loves you back.

Though you’re not quite sure he would if he really knew you, if he knew the things you’ve done and the family you have and the sad, dark, panicky places that come out and haunt you at night. He would never understand how being happy makes you sad. How the happier you are the more you know the sky is about to explode into tiny, sparkling shards of glass that will pick up speed as they fall to the earth and slice right through you leaving your skin with little holes in it, leaving your heart bleeding.

. . .

And there are nice things that you’ve never had before, like hugs, kisses on the cheek, ice cream at 3 a.m. And laughter, lots of laughter. It bubbles up and spills over, stains you with regret for what you’ve missed.

You are young and in love and finding out what it feels like to smile for no reason, and draw pictures of bumble bees with Lucas’s laughing face, and make love on sun-filled afternoons, and sleep with your head on his shoulder and strands of your hair falling across his chest.

(from Falling Under, pages 242-243)

Danielle Younge–Ullman’s writing is so beautiful, poetic, and honest that it’s not surprising her debut novel, Falling Under, grabbed hold of me from page one and made me wish I took a day off from work to curl up on the couch and devour the book in one sitting.

Falling Under is the story of a troubled but talented artist, Mara Foster. She was traumatized at a young age by her parents’ fights and eventual divorce, her mother’s coldness and hostility, and her father’s alcoholism. She goes from one troubled relationship to another, the only constant being her friendship with Bernadette, and even that wasn’t trouble-free.

The book is mostly told in the first person, and Younge–Ullman does a wonderful job portraying Mara’s vulnerability and the anxiety that has made her unable to leave her house some days. The narrative is not for the faint of heart; there is strong language and many descriptive sex scenes, but the rawness, the harshness is necessary to see and feel what it’s like to be Mara.

Inserted between the first-person scenes in the present are scenes told in the second person, detailing Mara’s past: her parents’ break-up, her falling out with Bernadette, her affair with an older artist, her first love. Mara is haunted by her first love, and the tragedy that occurs prevents her from having a normal relationship with Hugo, a man she meets in a gay bar while Bernadette is trying to impress a former girlfriend. The scenes with Hugo, a normal guy trying to begin a relationship with a messed up girl, offer some comic relief, as Mara doesn’t know how to handle the situation. But it’s sad, too, because Mara is unable to just enjoy Hugo’s company until she revisits the ghosts of her past, ghosts that also have prevented her from fully expressing herself in her art. Younge–Ullman also weaves in scenes with Eric, a man Mara sleeps with from time to time, and Sal, a former lover who buys and sells the paintings full of geometric shapes that Mara cranks out like a robot.

It’s hard to put into words just how much I loved this book. I grew attached to Mara, rooting for her all the way. Younge–Ullman does an excellent job portraying Mara’s pain, actually making me feel the hurt in some scenes. The character seemed so real to me, maybe because I identified with her, having known what it’s like to be so depressed that you can’t do the one thing you live for. (For Mara it was painting, for me it was writing. But that’s all in the past now.) I couldn’t believe this was Younge–Ullman’s first novel, and I can’t wait for her next one.

After interviewing Kate Veitch, author of Without a Backward Glance, she put me in touch with Danielle Younge–Ullman. (Thanks so much, Kate!) And I’m so happy she did because Danielle is a gem. Despite a busy schedule that involved a book festival and finishing her next novel, Danielle agreed to an interview, which I’ll share with you all now.

What prompted you to write Falling Under? How did the character of Mara come about? Was she inspired by anyone?

There were a few things at play when I was working on the premise for Falling Under. My first attempt at a book was a lighter, funnier book, but with some darker, more serious subplots in it. It was those subplots that I liked best and that other people seemed to respond to, so that gave me a clue about the direction I wanted to go in with my next book.

At the time I was also pondering the effects of traumas experienced in childhood, specifically divorce, on a person when they become an adult and have to navigate adult relationships. The question I was mulling was how do you grow up to have any faith or trust in the world, in things turning out well, when from an early age you know everything and everyone you count on can fall apart? This is not a neurotic perception for a kid, or an adult–it’s a fact.

As all of this was whirling around in me, I began to see Mara–this brilliant, talented young woman who was so overcome and trapped by her fears that she could barely leave her house. This is how the creative process seems to work for me–I just start asking myself questions, thinking about issues and events that I’m curious about and/or feel strongly about, and then, finally, I start to “see” and “hear” my story, my characters. When they finally appear it feels like magic, but it’s the result of a process where I’m pulling things together and digging around inside. Mara kind of just appeared.

The one thing that is rather autobiographical about Mara is the way she worries–I’m a big worrier, and it’s very easy with my vivid imagination for me to go to the worst-case-scenario. I function perfectly well in the world and have a good sense of humor about this aspect of my character, but as I was creating Mara, I imagined someone who had the same kind of anxiety and worry in her, but multiplied by a thousand and with a different, much more difficult personal history. So Mara is not based on anyone–as I said, she just appeared, but she does have this one central thing in common with me.

Was it hard to write from Mara’s point of view? The story is so full of pain and vulnerability, it hurt to read some parts of it.

Honestly, that deep, raw stuff is . . . not exactly easy to write, but when I get in that zone it flows out. Before I ever realized I was a writer, I kept journals and poured my heart and soul out with no self-censoring. I did this on and off for years and unwittingly taught myself to write. To write from Mara’s point of view, I really just had to get myself fully into her headspace and then do the same thing.

I will say, though, that I was bawling my eyes out as I wrote the final quarter of Falling Under. The story took some turns I really didn’t expect, and I was just a mess.

What do you think about the cover of Falling Under? I loved it, from the image of the woman to the scratchy writing. I was drawn to it immediately, and after reading the book, I think it’s a perfect fit.

I love the cover–I really think it suits the book well, and it’s also very sexy and eye-catching!

How long did it take you to write the book? Could you describe your writing process?

It took a little under a year to write the first draft of Falling Under and then another three-ish months to edit before I shopped it to agents.

My writing process is still . . . in process. I think in the first question I gave an idea of how I start out, but after that I often write a first scene, then do an outline. I stick to the outline for a few chapters, then tend to go wildly off in a different direction and write until I’m so far off the outline that I’m stuck. Then I write a new outline based on what I’ve got so far, write until I’ve gone off it and am stuck again, etc. I do this until the book is done. It’s a very messy process, and I wish I could write an outline that I could stick to, or just give up and write without one, but it doesn’t seem to work that way. I need to write the outline, and I need to feel free to ignore it, too.

Are you writing another novel? Will it be different from Falling Under in terms of writing style?

Yes! I just finished the first draft of my new book, and I can’t tell you how relieved I am to have it done. I don’t think the style is drastically different, but I’m not using the second person POV as I did for half of Falling Under and I’m following two characters’ POVs in this one, instead of one, so it’s a bit more complicated.

I’ve seen a few bloggers listing books that made them cry. Has a book ever driven you to tears? The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan and Marley and Me by John Grogan are a couple that did it to me.

Many books have made me cry! I first read Jane Eyre when I was 11 years old, and I remember it totally slayed me–blew my mind, made me bawl my eyes out, everything. I went straight to Wuthering Heights after that. What else . . . The Time Traveler’s Wife, A Prayer for Owen Meany, Fugitive Pieces . . . the list is much longer, but there are a few that stand out.

Thanks, Danielle, for making time for me! I can’t wait for your next book. Wishing you much success!

Danielle is offering a copy of Falling Under to one lucky reader. If you’re interested in this amazing book, please comment on this post. Remember to leave your email address, especially if you don’t have a blog or your blog profile isn’t available. If I don’t have a way to contact you if you win, your entry won’t be counted! The deadline for this giveaway is Friday, Nov. 14, 2008.

**Please note that this giveaway is now closed**

Disclosure:  I received a copy of Falling Under from the author for review purposes. I am an Amazon associate.

© 2008 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.

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Review and Author Interview: Pemberley by the Sea By Abigail Reynolds

Source: Review copy from Sourcebooks
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Although the man seemed oblivious to her presence, she asked, ‘Do you have a partner for the next dance?’

For a moment he said nothing, and had Cassie been more timid, she would have be cowed by the look he gave her. ‘I’m not planning to dance, thank you.’ His lips barely moved when he spoke.

She was suddenly conscious she was still wearing her lab clothes and no makeup. But she hadn’t gotten where she was by giving in to her insecurities. ‘If you’ve never tried it before, it’s easy to pick up. Everyone here was a beginner once.’

‘I don’t think so.’ He scanned the hall as if looking for someone.

His refusal stung, leaving her with the unpleasantly familiar feeling of having been judged and found wanting, even if he was the one violating the unspoken rules of the contra dance by refusing her. She hadn’t done anything wrong. She was tempted to make a response as curt and rude as his had been, but she had higher standards for her behavior. ‘Never mind, then.’

(from Pemberley by the Sea, pages 4-5)

Abigail Reynolds’ modern-day retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Pemberley by the Sea, brings the tale of Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy from England to Woods Hole on Cape Cod. In this contemporary version, Elizabeth is replaced with Cassie Boulton, a marine biologist and college professor who spends her summers at a research lab on the Cape and the rest of the year teaching at a small college in Pennsylvania. Darcy’s replacement is Calder Westing, a writer and the son of a well-known U.S. senator who meets Cassie in Woods Hole as a guest in the summer home of his friend Scott (Mr. Bingley), a biotech executive dating Cassie’s vulnerable friend and lab partner, Erin (Jane Bennet).

Like Elizabeth, Cassie is intelligent, strong, and stubborn. Like Mr. Darcy, Calder is rich, brooding, and arrogant (at least at first). Unlike Pemberley by the Sea, we don’t have to wait until the end of the book for Cassie and Calder to act on their intense attraction (which is a good thing because Pemberley by the Sea spans 426 pages, though it is a quick read). But the summer ends and Cassie and Calder must part ways–not sure if they’ll ever see each other again and uncertain how they truly feel about one another. Not surprisingly, the two encounter one another at various times over the next year or so, and in true romance fashion, numerous obstacles work to keep them apart, namely Calder’s ruthless father and a secret about her family that Cassie refuses to share with anyone.

For a romance novel and a Jane Austen retelling, Pemberley by the Sea is impressive. It was easy to forget that the story parallels Pride and Prejudice, as the characters and their challenges could stand on their own without any reference to Austen’s beloved novel. Reynolds does a brilliant job getting readers to feel the passion and tension between Cassie and Calder. There are several steamy, descriptive sex scenes in the book, but they weren’t distracting. Knowing the characters and the storyline, the sex scenes made sense. While Cassie’s stubbornness and inner turmoil were annoying at times, I still liked the characters. Pemberley by the Sea is a light read, something to pick up to escape the stresses of the day. I sped through the book in just a few days of commuter reading, and I’m looking forward to the rest of The Woods Hole Quartet series.

I had the wonderful opportunity to interview Abigail Reynolds about Pemberley by the Sea, Jane Austen, and her writing. I wish to thank her for taking time out of her busy schedule to answer my questions.

Where did you get the idea to write a modern-day Pride and Prejudice set on Cape Cod with a marine biologist and a politician’s son?

It all started with wondering about what kind of people Darcy and Elizabeth might be in the modern world. Jane Austen’s Darcy isn’t a social creature, but it’s important to his character that he’s socially prominent and powerful in society. He constantly gives offense and is very private, so I couldn’t see Calder/Darcy as a CEO, socialite, or voluntarily taking on a public role. So I started to look for something that would make him famous, but not of his own volition. I also wanted something that would make Cassie/Elizabeth take an immediate and serious dislike to him, which would take more than just an insult. The animosity between scientists and right-wing politicians seemed like a good setup.

There’s a pitfall of a writing about a politician’s son, though. Politics change! When I wrote Calder’s speech at the end, it was a year after 9/11, Republicans were powerful, and issues like health care were on the back burner, so his speech was really quite radical. But in 2008, he’s saying the same thing many people are saying, and his father the Republican senator wouldn’t have anything like the clout I imagined in 2002. Calder’s speech was supposed to be an extreme position against a very powerful father, and it’s turned into a middle-of-the-road position against a father in the minority party.

Cassie’s role was much easier–there are lots of ways to present a smart, witty, strong-minded woman in today’s world. I love marine biology, so it was easy to see her as someone passionate about it, and I know just enough about it not to sound like a complete idiot when talking about the science part. It also gave me the excuse to set the book in one of my favorite places, Woods Hole, a coastal town on Cape Cod dominated by marine scientists of all sorts. Woods Hole has its own peculiar culture which added flavor (and squid!) to the book.

Did you find any parts of the book hard to write? Pemberley by the Sea is among the few romance books I’ve read where I actually can feel the intensity and passion between the lead characters. You did a brilliant job, and I’m just curious if it was difficult to capture these emotions on paper.

Thank you! The book practically wrote itself the first time, for which I give credit to Jane Austen for her fabulous characters and Woods Hole as a vibrant setting. Then I spent several years putting it through one revision after another based on various critiques I’d gotten. Finally I realized that the changes I was making might make the book more marketable, but it was also destroying my voice and vision. So then I had to undo a lot of the damage I’d done.

The scenes that I think are the most vibrant–the squid scene and the bioluminescent scene, for example–are all from that first draft, and flowed naturally from the characters and settings. I wish I’d listened to myself more at that stage.

The hardest part to write was the section where Cassie is reading Calder’s book. I had to compress segments from his book as much as possible to try to keep up the pace, but I still had to show important moments. Trying to show Cassie’s pain and astonishment at what she’s reading while not interrupting the flow of his story was a major challenge. Also, Calder had to write in a different style than I do, and it had to be consistent. It was hard to learn to speak with another writer’s voice!

How do you think Jane Austen would feel about all the Pride and Prejudice sequels and spin-offs?

Jane Austen had a gift for finding life amusing, and like Mr. Bennet, she seemed to enjoy making sport of her neighbors. She had an incisive and cutting wit, but at the same time, she was rarely negative about people. Looking at Pride and Prejudice, there are characters who are rude, or are fools, or are petty gossips, but I never get the feeling that Austen dislikes them, more that she looks on them with tolerant amusement for human foibles. I think she’d be very amused by all the sequels, and she might say some biting things about them in private, but I don’t think she’d be angry about them. I think it took a lot to shock Jane Austen. If you read her letters, you see a very different side to her than you might with a modern reading of her novels.

I’m often told that Jane Austen would be spinning in her grave if she read any of my Pemberley Variations books because of the intimate scenes. I don’t believe that, because I’ve learned enough about the regency period to understand that Jane Austen wasn’t a prude by any means, but that many modern readers miss this. In Pride and Prejudice, she tells us flat-out that Mr. Bennet didn’t have affairs because he was too lazy, and in his speech to Lizzy at the end of the book, he tells her that she won’t remain “respectable” (meaning faithful to her husband) if she doesn’t esteem her husband as a superior. Having a father tell his daughter that isn’t exactly pure!

How many times have you read Pride and Prejudice? What’s your favorite screen adaptation?

I can’t even count! I’ve probably read it dozens of times cover to cover, and I’m always picking it up to read a scene here or there. I can pick it up and open it to any page and be right in the middle of it. Lines from it pop into my head out of the blue, which is why they keep appearing in my Pemberley Variations. Every time I read it, I discover new levels and gain new insights. That’s what I love about it.

My favorite adaptation is the 1995 BBC production because it comes closest to my vision of the story. There are some things I disagree with in it, but I love the way Jane Austen’s original dialogue is woven in.

How long did it take to write Pemberley by the Sea? Do you have a particular writing routine?

I wrote the first version in about 8 months, then revised it for several years, then unrevised lots of it! I must have written over a hundred versions of the opening scene. My writing routine is a non-routine. I have kids and a part-time job, so writing happens whenever I can squeeze it in. I carried a notebook with me everywhere and wrote during my kids’ swimming lessons, sitting on a bus, between meetings at work, and everywhere else. My son was in a serious accident while I was writing Pemberley by the Sea, and a lot of it was written in his hospital room at 3 in the morning and in the waiting room of the Rehabilitation Clinic during his constant physical therapy appointments. Sometimes I think I should have included his PT in the acknowledgments!

Which Austen heroine are you most like?

I’d love to say that I’m like Elizabeth Bennet since she’s my favorite, but I’m not at all. I’m boringly sensible, reserved, and responsible Elinor Dashwood. If I were a character from Pride and Prejudice, I’d be Darcy rather than Elizabeth, standing off in a corner at parties and listening to other people’s conversations.

Besides Austen, what other authors do you read?

I’m pretty eclectic in my reading. I’m fond of Gillian Bradshaw’s historical books, Kate Elliot’s fantasy novels (especially Jaran, which really is a covert Pride and Prejudice retelling–she even mentions Jane Austen in the acknowledgements), Kristin Hannah, and Sharon Shinn. I read across genres, and the common denominator is that the books I like generally have strong female characters. I’ve never been able to get into chick lit, but I love women’s fiction. I read Mary Oliver’s poetry and I enjoy non-fiction about places I love. Tim Traver’s book of essays, Sippewissett, all about the salt marsh that Cassie loves so much in Pemberley by the Sea is a natural favorite.

Of the Jane Austen-related novels, I particularly like Kara Louise’s Assumed Engagement and Judith Brocklehurst’s A Letter to Lady Catherine. I also read a lot of non-fiction about Austen and the Regency. Tea with Jane Austen by Kim Wilson, So Odd a Mixture by Phyllis Ferguson Bottomer, and Emily Auerbach’s Searching for Jane Austen are particular favorites. I’m currently reading In the Garden with Jane Austen, also by Kim Wilson.

Are you working on another novel? Do you have any plans to write something not related to Pride and Prejudice?

I’m working on several other projects, including a sequel to Pemberley by the Sea called Morning Light. You can read the first chapter on my website. It was originally intended to be loosely based on Persuasion, but once the characters were done changing all my plot plans, the only resemblance that’s left is that the heroine’s name is Annie and that she and the hero are separated for years. There’s a lot more about Cassie, Calder, and their families in it. I’m planning two other books in the series which don’t have any connection to Jane Austen (at least not any conscious ones!), but who knows where the characters will take me?

I’m also putting finishing touches on another Pemberley Variation called Bounds of Decorum, which shows some sides of Regency society that are less familiar to modern readers. What’s next? Who knows! It depends on what character grabs me in the middle of the night and demands to have their story told.

Thanks, Abigail! What a great interview! I wish you much success, and I’ll definitely be reading more of your work!

Would you like to read Pemberley by the Sea? Sourcebooks is offering a copy to one lucky reader!! Just leave a comment on this post by 11:59 pm EST on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2008. This giveaway is open those with U.S. and Canada addresses only, as the the book will be shipped directly by the publisher. Make sure to include your email address if you want your entry to count. I need a way to contact you if you win! Good luck!

**Please note that this giveaway is now closed**

Disclosure: I received Pemberley By the Sea from Sourcebooks for review.

© 2008 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.

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Review: Humpty Dumpty Jr: Hardboiled Detective: The Mystery of Merlin and the Gruesome Ghost by Nate Evans, Paul Hindman and Vince Evans

After reading the first installment of the Humpty Dumpty Jr.: Hardboiled Detective series, The Case of the Fiendish Flapjack Flop, my daughter and I couldn’t wait to start the second. The first book was full of action, humor, and vivid illustrations (you can read our review here), and we had such high expectations for the second book. And Humpty Dumpty Jr. Hardboiled Detective: The Mystery of Merlin and the Gruesome Ghost didn’t disappoint. In The Mystery of Merlin and the Gruesome Ghost, the wise-cracking (pun intended) detective, Humpty Dumpty, Jr., and his sidekick Rat are back and ready to solve another case. In the first book, Rat was a scrubby kid without a home, and while he’s still a little rough around the edges, he’s cleaned up since Humpty Dumpty, Jr. and Patty Cake, New Yolk City’s most popular baker, took him under their wing. Humpty Dumpty, Jr. really wants Rat to go to school, but Rat is against the idea–until the perfect opportunity presents itself in the form of a case that needs to be solved.

Princess Lily, a student at Merlin’s Institute for the Knowledge of Everything, arrives at Humpty Dumpty, Jr.’s office in the middle of a rain storm looking for help. Her father, Prince Balto, encountered a ghost in the halls of the school, was found unconscious, and hasn’t come out of it. The ghost wanders the halls moaning, “Give me my magic!” When Humpty Dumpty, Jr. and Rat accompany Lily to Merlin’s Institute to investigate, Merlin (yes, King Arthur’s Merlin) is convinced that Rat is the next King Arthur and needs a little training so he can remove Excalibur from the stone and anvil. Rat’s enrollment in the school gives Humpty Dumpty, Jr. access to the school to find out more about the ghost and why Merlin’s so hostile, as well as to restore Prince Balto back to health.

As in the first book, chaos ensues whenever Humpty Dumpty, Jr. attempts to use his egg-beater magic wand, providing a lot of laughs. When the identity of the ghost is revealed, there’s another action scene that made it impossible for us to put the book down. And it’s hard to put into words how wonderful the illustrations are, perfectly portraying the action and including little details that make the characters come to life.

Sourcebooks is targeting middle school boys with this series, but again I think it will attract a wider audience. With the addition of Princess Lily (who I hope returns in future installments), young girls see a princess who isn’t all frilly and weak and waiting for a man to bail her out of a crisis. When it counts, Lily takes charge, and she makes a suitable role model for young girls.

The next Humpty Dumpty Jr.: Hardboiled Detective book is slated for release in May 2009. Apparently, the book includes ninjas. You can bet The Girl and I will read that one!

Here’s The Girl’s thoughts on The Mystery of Merlin and the Gruesome Ghost. This time, she wrote the review all by herself, without any prompting from her mother.

I liked the part where Humpty Dumpty, Jr. turned mini. [Anna: He was shrunk “smaller than a chocolate egg” (page 76)] I liked that part because it was really funny and cool. When Humpty Dumpty, Jr. dressed up like a janitor and had to clean up throw up, it was cool. I also liked the part when Rat dressed up in the dance suit. Us girls will like this book because Lily is a cool character, and she’s a girl.

I made my mom put in this picture. It was my favorite from the first book.

Watch the trailer for The Mystery of Merlin and the Gruesome Ghost here.
Watch the trailer for The Case of the Fiendish Flapjack Flop here.

Disclosure:  We received a copy of The Mystery of Merlin and the Gruesome Ghost from Sourcebooks for review purposes. I am an Amazon associate.

© 2008 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.

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Review: Bible Illuminated: The Book, New Testament by Illuminated World

Bible Illuminated: The Book, New Testament by Illuminated World (which I previewed here) is unlike any Bible I’ve ever seen, and I know some people will have a hard time calling it a Bible. It looks, feels, and smells like a magazine (a very expensive magazine, according to the $35 price tag).

Reading Bible Illuminated definitely was an experience. I looked it over carefully, read some of the pages, thought a lot about the images, and discussed it with my husband and friends. I’m still having a difficult time putting my thoughts and feelings into words.

The cover is just as stunning in person, and the images within the pages are vibrant. The pictures are intended to shock people out of their comfort zones, make them think about their faith in a new way, to generate discussion. While most of the pictures made sense in the context of the Scripture verses accompanying them, others did not–and some appear to be included for the shock value alone.

Some of the images made me uncomfortable, including a picture of the cult leader Jim Jones and the Jonestown mass suicide. On the picture of Jones is this verse from Philippians: “All I want is to know Christ and experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings and become like him in his death, in the hope that I myself will be raised from death to life.” And in the numerous pictures of celebrities and activists accompanied by the verse, “God said, ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you to open the way for you,'” is a picture of John Lennon smoking and wearing a tie with a nude woman on it. Out of all the pictures available of Lennon, why was that one chosen?

But I think that the images that make me most uncomfortable are there for that very purpose, challenging me to deepen my faith, defend my faith, and get excited about my faith. And I can see how young people bored with traditional, picture-less Bibles that seem so far removed from what is going on around the world today, along with those who have little knowledge of Christianity, might need something like this to light a spark within them.

As for the Good News Translation used in Bible Illuminated, I compared a few passages to those in my New International Version and New American translations, and they were pretty much the same. This translation is very easy to understand, and verses that are displayed with the images are highlighted to show them in context. However, it would be very difficult to use Bible Illuminated in a Bible study group due to the lack of chapter and verse notations. When I was making the verse comparisons, it was difficult because I had no idea what chapter and verse I was looking at in Bible Illuminated.

Though Bible Illuminated won’t be the first Bible I pull off my shelf, I think it is a resource that serves a very important purpose. If it gets people to talk about Jesus, to think about the importance of His words today, and to take action to help those around the world in need, then the book has done a lot of good.

However, the one thing I found offensive was the cover of the upcoming Bible Illuminated: The Book, Old Testament, slated for release next year. The cover is a closeup of a couple’s face, mouths open, getting ready to share what appears to be a very sensual, sexual kiss (at least in my opinion). What does this have to do with the Old Testament? I couldn’t think of an answer, but if any of you who have seen the picture have an idea, please share!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of Bible Illuminated from Lisa Roe, Online Publicist for review purposes. I am an Amazon associate.

© 2008 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.

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Review: Jesus Take the Wheel by Stuart Migdon

Jesus Take the Wheel: 7 Keys to a Transformed Life with God by Stuart Migdon is a devotional that aims to help people put Jesus in the driver’s seat of their lives. Over a period of two months, Migdon hopes readers will learn how to live their lives the way God intended. I thought I’d give this book a try because it really hit home. I’ll admit that I’m someone who likes to be in control, but I’ve learned over the years that sometimes I just have to let go.

I’m still working my way through the book. I didn’t want to just skim it and post an overview. I wanted to really see if the book could help me change my life. I wasn’t expecting any earth-shattering changes, just little differences in the way I think and act that might add up over the course of time. So far, Jesus Take the Wheel hasn’t disappointed.

Each daily lesson is a few pages long, and many of them take a closer look at the lives of Jesus and Moses as models of the way we should live our lives. Other people from the Bible, including David and Paul, are mentioned as well. Each of the “7 Keys to a Transformed Life With God” are covered over a one-week period. There is an action step at the end of every day, and the reading for the last day of every week consists of summary points for readers to remember during their journeys.

The 7 keys touch upon such things as wisdom, listening to God (our Navigation System), trust, and joy. And while the book obviously is geared toward Christians, I think some of the messages within its pages could be used by people of any faith. For instance, Day 20’s Action Step says, “Think about the people God has placed into your life who may need help in a small or big way. Ask God to show you how you can help by being there for one or more of them and then carry out that plan. It may turn into one of life’s special moments!” (page 100) One doesn’t have to be a Christian to understand how worthwhile it is to help others in need!

On Migdon’s website, you can download the free journal that accompanies Jesus Take the Wheel. I’ve been using the journal as a way to really think about what I’m reading. It would be way too easy to quickly read through the daily lesson without really digesting it, and since I’m a writer, I figured the journal would make the experience richer. So far, so good.

It’s too early to say whether Jesus Take the Wheel will transform the way I live my life, but it’s given me things to think about and helped me realize some things I need to change. Any book that gets me to ponder ways to grow in my faith is worth a try.

Below is an article written by Stuart Migdon from his website. His publicist, Jennifer Orgelfinger, gave me permission to post it here.

DO YOU DESIRE TO BE KING OF THE HILL?

The key to being used by God for His glory is that we give over control and realize all glory and honor goes to God alone. True Humility. The great love of God allows us to see the changes that need to be made in us through the power of the Holy Spirit. Even the greatest can be humbled.

It’s never too late to change as long as He is the one changing us. Most people won’t admit that being important matters to them. But if we seek recognition in one way or another, we have revealed through our actions that we desire to be self-important. Here’s a five-point test to see just how significant self-importance is to you.

Five Evidences of Desiring Self-Importance

Whenever you do something with the goal of recognition, it’s really about your own importance. Let’s say you help someone out, and you’re looking for acknowledgment of what you’ve done. Maybe you helped them with general advice, helped them get a job, watched their children, lent them money, bought them a gift, or did some other favor for them. You could even be doing what God instructs all of us to do, comforting the sick, visiting the prisoner, feeding and clothing the poor, or being there for the needy. If you’re doing it with the desire to be noticed, even if that’s just part of your reason, then you have too much focus on your own importance.

How many times have we heard people talk about a time when they did something for someone else, and the person they did it for wasn’t appreciative, didn’t say thank you enough, or in some other way didn’t show enough gratitude? Doesn’t that show that they were doing it for the recognition and not to help someone else? It’s hard not to want recognition–we feel like we deserve it. That’s the sin nature with which we constantly struggle.

The fight is only won with God at the wheel. In order to do so, you need to follow the direction of the Holy Spirit and relinquish control of your life to Him. When you give to others without looking to feed your own ego but only to see good being done for someone else, your reward is from God, and it far surpasses any reward of recognition you can get from man. Keep in mind that recognition can be good if it comes naturally, but if you do things with the intention or motive of being recognized, you’re making yourself too important!

Whenever a good deed is not done because it brings no attention to you, then it is really about your own importance. How about when you assess a certain situation and you decide not to help if you don’t get recognition. Perhaps you decide not to give to a good cause because your gift would be anonymous. Or you decide not to help someone unless there are enough people around to see–an audience, so to speak. Some people are notorious for showing up to help at a charitable event only for the recognition, the photo op so to speak. Once the cameras are packed away, they leave. We do the same thing when we choose not to do good deeds when there is no acknowledgement in doing so. If that’s your thinking process, it is obvious that recognition is your motivation, and you’ve put too much significance on your own importance. The recognition may come, but it is your only reward. God will have no part in it.

When you are looking for opportunities to tell people about your accomplishments, it’s really all about your own importance. Have you ever been in a situation where you’ve heard someone telling others about their own accomplishments, their job titles, degrees, money, house, or material possessions, when there’s really no need for others to know? Or maybe you’ve been around someone looking for opportunities to fit these kinds of things into the conversation? It’s out of context, and it’s a clear sign that they’re doing it for recognition, putting too much significance on their own importance.

When you worry about what others think of you, you are too focused on your own importance. If you are constantly worried about what other people think of you and you make decisions based on this concern, you are placing too much significance on your own importance. It could be deciding to go someplace or to be with some people because you think others will look more favorably on you. Or perhaps you stay away from someplace or some people because others would think less of you if you didn’t. Self-importance matters to you if you are concerned about the actions you take or the things you say based on what other people might think.

When you admire others based on their possessions or status, then your focus is on your own importance. If it’s all about their power or prestige, then you’re impressed by the wrong elements–these things do not make a person truly important. If you are impacted by the importance of others, then importance matters way too much to you.

In summary, whenever you attempt to accomplish something with a reason other than for the love of God and the love of others, it is done to demonstrate your own importance, and it gets in the way of God’s love. Rather than desiring to be “king of the hill,” yield to the King of the Hill. He was victorious over death on a cross on the hill of Mt. Calvary; He will be victorious in transforming our lives as well.

Are you interested in reading Jesus Take the Wheel: 7 Keys to a Transformed Life with God by Stuart Migdon? I am giving away a copy, courtesy of Jennifer Orgelfinger. Just post a comment here letting me know why you want to read this book. If you don’t have a blog or your blog profile isn’t working, make sure you leave me an email address where I can contact you if you win. If you don’t provide a way for me to contact you, your entry won’t be counted! This giveaway is open to readers everywhere! Deadline is Thursday, Nov. 6, 2008.

**Please note that this giveaway is now closed**

Disclosure:  I received a copy of Jesus Take the Wheel for review purposes. I am an Amazon associate.

© 2008 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.

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Review and Author Interview: Life After Genius by M. Ann Jacoby

My mother once said, “Smart people can be so stupid sometimes.” More than a decade later, I can’t remember why she said this, but I sure hope she wasn’t talking about me! Anyway, this statement kept coming to mind as I read M. Ann Jacoby’s Life After Genius, a coming-of-age story about 18-year-old Theodore “Mead” Fegley, who runs away from college days before graduation.

Mead’s intelligence sets him apart from the other kids his age, so he basically grows up with his nose in a textbook and no friends, aside from his cousin, Percy, whom Mead views more as a rival. Pressured by his mother to succeed, Mead graduates high school early, goes to college at age 15, and tests out of freshman year during his first week on campus.

Jacoby piques readers’ interest right away: Why did Mead leave school abruptly? And who is this creepy Herman Weinstein, who seems to follow Mead everywhere and is way too interested in Mead’s mathematics research. It all has to do with Mead’s obsession with proving or disproving the Riemann Hypothesis, his desire to get ahead without thinking about the consequences of his actions, and his lack of social skills and poor judgment of character. This is where my mother’s saying about academic intelligence not always translating into common sense comes into play. Readers can tell right away that something is fishy about Herman; Mead senses it, too, and you just want to reach into the book and slap him silly.

Jacoby tells Mead’s story in non-linear fashion, shifting back and forth in time and unravelling the relationship between oblivious Mead and creepy Herman in small chunks. The book jacket calls Life After Genius an academic thriller, but I thought the academic part of the story was pretty predictable.

It is in the coming-of-age aspect of the story where Jacoby shines. Mead spends much of his life running away when things don’t go smoothly. But when he returns home, he must confront his mother’s disappointment head on, decide whether his future involves working in the family furniture store/funeral home, and cope with his uncle’s hostility and his aunt’s mental breakdown. The old wounds don’t heal completely and he doesn’t fully grow up, but Mead learns things about himself, his family, and life that can’t be found in textbooks.

While I enjoyed Life After Genius and would recommend it to others, the ending left me a bit disappointed because of some loose ends. But Jacoby did a brilliant job creating a host of complex characters and placing them in unusual situations, holding my interest until the very last page.

(And I love the cover! I’m all about loud socks! Click here, and you’ll understand!)

Read an excerpt of Life After Genius here.

I had the pleasure of interviewing M. Ann Jacoby. I’d like to thank Ms. Jacoby for taking time out of her busy schedule to answer a few questions, and Miriam Parker from Hachette Book Group for making the interview and the entire Early Birds Blog Tour possible.

What was your inspiration for Life After Genius?

My initial idea was to write a novel based on my father, who was a childhood “math genius” with an undertaker as a father, and how he survived the battleground of childhood as the odd kid out. The resulting novel, however, has nothing to do with my dad’s true life experiences.

There are some really interesting and complex characters in the book, particularly Mead and Herman. Are any of them based on people you know, or are they completely fictional?

Mead started out as my father but readers found him neither sympathetic nor believable as a character so I began to fictionalize him, and the more I fictionalized him, the more sympathetic and believable he became. Mead and Herman both went through many drafts where they had time to develop into more complex characters.

How much research did you do for Life After Genius? Did you have an in-depth knowledge of math?

I did not have an in-depth knowledge of math–and I still don’t. I read a book on the Riemann Hypothesis written for the layman–which is mentioned in my acknowledgements page–and familiarized myself with the basic concept of the theorem and with some of the language.

With all the talk about prime number theory, zeta functions, and the Riemann Hypothesis, did you find it hard to incorporate that stuff without bogging down the narrative? My mind goes elsewhere at the mention of math (I’m lucky I can balance my checkbook), but I found all the math talk in Life After Genius interesting.

In earlier drafts, there was more math but I took it out, leaving just enough to let the reader know that Mead is a brainy kid who knows stuff the average person does not. After all, the novel is not about math but about finding one’s place in the world.

Thanks, Ms. Jacoby! Wishing you much success!

To celebrate the release of Life After Genius, Hachette Book Group is offering a copy to one lucky reader. You must have a U.S. or Canada address to enter. No P.O. Boxes. Leave a comment on this post. But instead of saying, “Please enter me,” I’d like you all to answer a question just to make things more interesting. What was your favorite course or subject in school (doesn’t matter what grade)? For an extra entry, blog about the giveaway or post it in your blog sidebar and let me know here. For those of you without a blog, you could email 5 people and ‘cc’ me on the message. Make sure I have a way to contact you if you win! If you don’t have a blog or your blog profile is broken or unavailable, please leave an email address. If I don’t have a way to contact you, your entry won’t be counted! Deadline is Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2008.

**Please note that this giveaway is now closed**

Disclosure:  I received a copy of Life After Genius from Hachette for review purposes. I am an Amazon associate.

© 2008 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.

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