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Reading:
This past week wasn’t a week that I spent much time reading, which disappointed me.  I did finish one book, Calico Joe by John Grisham, an ARC from Doubleday which I did enjoy and started Darkroom by Joshua Graham, also an ARC, for Partners In Crime Tours.  I just didn’t seem to have the time to pick up a book.  I was on a roll reading 2-3 books a week and was hoping for the same this past week but RL , Partners In Crime Tours and blogging kept me busy.   By the time I did pick up up my current read, it was right before going to bed but sleep took over after reading for approximately an hour.  It just wasn’t a productive week but I hope to rectify that this week because I don’t want to get into that type of routine.

Blogging:
Something very exciting, which I also felt it an honor, did happen to me this past week, It falls under both categories of reading/blogging, but will tell you about it here.  I received an email a couple of weeks ago from the V.P. of Marketing at Doubleday asking if I would read and review Calico Joe by John Grisham (see above).  I was a bit skeptical since I thought it was going to be about baseball, which I am not one that follows sports.  To my surprise it was much more than just baseball.  You can see my review here.  I finished the book in 2 days, wrote and posted my review and then sent the link to the contact person.  Right after posting my review, I went out and was gone most of the day.  When I arrived home and checked my email,  much to my surprise, I had received a response from the person who requested that I read the book.  He thanked me and then went on to say that he had posted my review on John Grisham’s FB page.  My review!!!  Me!!  Just your average blogger/avid reader from the smallest state, my review on the page of one of the great authors of our time.  I was definitely doing the happy dance, I was so thrilled, excited, overwhelmed and humbled.  Then I couldn’t believe how many hits it received.  Again me!!!  Me who didn’t even know this world existed until 2 years ago.  I never ever thought that could happen to me!!  Needless to say, I started texting my sons, family and friends to share my news.  My phenomenal sons were so happy for me, they even went to the site to see my name and texted me back with “Awesome, Mom” and “Wow..that’s great”.  That definitely was the highlight of my week!!

Real Life:
Boring…the usual daily household chores…laundry, grocery shopping, appointments, etc.  And on Wednesday, another day of working with an estate liquidation woman at my Mother’s house.  More progress made, but not done yet.  And on Thursday attended a Family and Friends afternoon at the assisted living my sister resides at.  She is severely handicapped but it is such a comfort to see how well she is doing after losing our Mom in September and her being “on her own”.  She didn’t stop talking telling me everything she is involved with, what she did and what committees she’s on.  I really am so proud of her.  I now call her the “social butterfly” and she laughs because every time I try to call her, she is never in her, as I call it, “her apartment”.  My Mom had told her that I would be in charge, even though my sister is older than me, and she knows that she is to call me at least every other day, which she does, except her “social life”  usually lasts after my bedtime lol.  Good for you Sis!!!

And that was my week.  How was your’s?

………..of CALICO JOE by John Grisham

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THE NINTH STEP by Barbara Taylor Sissel
Published by Author
ASIN: B005KDCOCE
At the request of the author, a digital edition was supplied, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.

  Synopsis (borrowed from Amazon): Livie Saunders is fluent in the language of flowers; she taught the meanings to her fiancé, Cotton O’Dell, but then Cotton vanishes without explanation on their wedding day forcing Livie to learn the language of desolation. Heartbroken, she buries her wedding gown beneath a garden pond and resolves to move on, but there are nights when she slips . . . into a sequined red dress and a pair of stiletto heels, a stranger’s bed, a little anonymous oblivion that is not without consequence. Still, she recovers a semblance of ordinary life and imagines she is content. But then, six years later, Cotton returns and her carefully constructed world shatters. The old questions bite like flies. Questions that Cotton O’Dell prays he can answer. He prays that Livie, whom he has never stopped loving, will be moved to forgive him. But there is more than Livie to be concerned about. There is Cotton’s act of cowardice that caused him to become a fugitive in the first place . . . that crime he committed for which the legal clock is still ticking. That thing he did that will shock Livie to her core once she learns of it. Livie is desperate to trust Cotton, but then he goes missing again. Time telescopes, avenues of escape close, and as lives hang in the balance, choice dithers between mercy and revenge. And a decision that will take only a moment will carry the consequences of a lifetime.

THE NINTH STEP is a story of redemption, of being brought to your knees in the sober light of day to face a monstrous error and yet somehow finding the strength to stand up, to try and make it right. Even if that decision breaks your heart, endangers your freedom and ultimately threatens your life.

  My Thoughts and Opinion: The 9th step in AA’s 12 step recovery program is to make amends to those that you have hurt while in the throes of one’s alcohol addiction period.   But just think how hard it is to ask forgiveness when we do things that may hurt others by our words or actions when sober.   And then magnify that because of what alcohol does to the mind and body.

I enjoy reading books that have realistic relationship dynamics between characters, characters that are created by the author and then brought to life by the dynamic writing skills.   Characters, whereas, you feel that you know them personally, feel their emotions, become their friends and turning the pages to see what happens but then not wanting the book to end because so does the friendship.   One of the main characters, Cotton, after being gone for 6 years returns, wanting to make those amends for what he had done.   (Vague begins here to avoid spoilers).   What he did was awful, however, it is hard to despise this character.   The same goes with other characters in the book.   They are all flawed in some ways, all need to make amends, alcohol induced or not.   The suspenseful portion of the book also had me turning the pages, would he, could he admit to what he had done? What were the consequences going to be?   Definitely (again vague for omission of spoilers) not what I thought!!   The ending was disappointing in a way that I felt it was left with a cliff hanger because of the connections I made with the characters.   Maybe a sequel?   I hope so!!!   An engrossing read!!

(2012 Challenges: EBook, Off The Shelf, Just For Fun, Free Reads, Where Are You, A-Z, 52 in52, Outdo Yourself, 100+)

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From An Island Life:
In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing that requires a lengthy response.
If you’d like to participate, visit An Island Life answer the question and then post your own question on your blog and leave your link below. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

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Favorite spring flower?

MY ANSWER:
Lilacs

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Today’s question:
A while ago, I interviewed my readers for a change, and my final question was, “What question have I NOT asked at BTT that you’d love me to ask?” I got some great responses and will be picking out some of the questions from time to time to ask the rest of you. Like now.
 Patricia asks a particularly insightful question:
Ever read a book you thought you could have written better yourself?

My response:
This is a toughie.   Since I don’t feel I have the smallest amount of talent of writing, maybe  a children’s book, but definitely not a novel, my answer is no.  However with that being said, I have read some books, that I have had those exact sediments but in a  jokingly comparison.  I have also read books and thought that my life/biography compared to the story line, would have made a more interesting  topic and/or plot.

What about you?  Have you read books that you could have written better?

Calico Joe by John Grisham
Published by Doubleday
Publication Date: April 10, 2012
ISBN-10: 0385536070
ISBN-13: 978-0385536073
At the request of Doubleday, an ARC TPB was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.

Synopsis (from Amazon): A surprising and moving novel of fathers and sons, forgiveness and redemption, set in the world of Major League Baseball…

Whatever happened to Calico Joe?

It began quietly enough with a pulled hamstring. The first baseman for the Cubs AAA affiliate in Wichita went down as he rounded third and headed for home. The next day, Jim Hickman, the first baseman for the Cubs, injured his back. The team suddenly needed someone to play first, so they reached down to their AA club in Midland, Texas, and called up a twenty-one-year-old named Joe Castle. He was the hottest player in AA and creating a buzz.

In the summer of 1973 Joe Castle was the boy wonder of baseball, the greatest rookie anyone had ever seen. The kid from Calico Rock, Arkansas dazzled Cub fans as he hit home run after home run, politely tipping his hat to the crowd as he shattered all rookie records.

Calico Joe quickly became the idol of every baseball fan in America, including Paul Tracey, the young son of a hard-partying and hard-throwing Mets pitcher. On the day that Warren Tracey finally faced Calico Joe, Paul was in the stands, rooting for his idol but also for his Dad. Then Warren threw a fastball that would change their lives forever…

In John Grisham’s new novel the baseball is thrilling, but it’s what happens off the field that makes CALICO JOE a classic.

My Thoughts and Opinion: I feel that I need to start with a caveat.   I am not a sports fan!!   However, my husband and sons are and I have hosted many of sports related parties and witnessed many of, at times somewhat loud, discussions at the dinner table.   I live in New England and my guys are die hard fans, of all sports, but of different teams.   My husband and youngest son are Red Sox fans and my oldest is a true NY Yankee fan, even naming his dog Bronx.

That’s as much as I know about sports.   So I was leery of reading a “sports related” novel.   But the first page pulled me right into the story.   There was some “baseball lingo and statistics” but it was the premise that hooked me.   Masterful writing, as always, with a John Grisham novel but also had a lighter and emotional prose that I enjoyed.   I connected to the characters, even those that were not likable, but in true sports fashion, I was rooting for the under dog.   The emotional slant of the book was gripping and tugged on the heart strings.   Even though it had a predictable plot and was a very quick read, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.   It was much more than a “sports related” book, it was about making amends, truth and coming to terms with a relationship between father and son.   I recommend this book, not only for sports’ fans, but for anyone who enjoys seeing the truth and winner prevail.   Very good read!!

(2012 Challenges: ARC, Off The Shelf, FreeReads, Where Are You, A-Z, 52 in 52, Outdo Yourself, 100+)

Jodi and Robyn, those fabulous ladies from WOW, are stopping by again today to introduce us to a very versatile and busy author.  Welcome Ms. Lisa de Nikolits!!

ABOUT LISA de NIKOLITS

Originally from South Africa, Lisa has been a Canadian citizen since 2003–although she still retains a lilting voice that causes fellow Canadians to ask, “You aren’t from Canada, eh?” With a Bachelor’s of Arts in English Literature and Philosophy, Lisa has also lived and worked in the United States, Australia, and Great Britain.

Lisa thought she was on her way to fame and fortune when the South African edition of Cosmopolitan bought two of her poems in 1986. Sadly, the road to being a published writer was not as easy as she had hoped! Throughout her writing career, Lisa has tried her hand at everything from children’s picture books to short stories to novellas to feature magazine articles. Her first novel, The Hungry Mirror, which won an IPPY Gold Medal for Women’s Fiction 2011, was inspired by her work as art director for magazines including Vogue and Marie Claire. Lisa is now working on her next novel, Between the Cracks She Fell.
Find out more about Lisa by visiting her online:
Author website and Art design website.

GUEST POST

Creating Three-Dimensional Characters

A few of nights ago over dinner, a couple of author friends and I were discussing a workshop we’re thinking of hosting. We were bouncing ideas back and forth about what we each of us could contribute and one of my friends turned to me and said, “you should talk about character development. Your characters are wonderfully idiosyncratic and yet they’re absolutely believable. They have depth to them and their dialogue is great.”

Talk about pleased! I nearly fell off my chair with delight. So, when the opportunity for this post came up, I thought it was timeous for me to give some thought to my characters and how I go about creating them. Of course, I immediately panicked, worrying that, faced with dissection, they would vanish on me, never to return. We writers can be such panic-stricken, phobic folk!

But then I realised that I’m as likely to lose my characters as I am to lose my friends – because my characters aremy friends. I love hanging out with them, I love watching them evolve – it’s as if they exist out there in the ether and I draw them closer by experimentation and endless questioning; does this one love computer games or prefer long walks in the park? What does he or she wear? What are their teeth like? Noses? How many earrings adorn their lobes, eyebrows or other body parts? I consider tattoos, height, hair color, the shape of their eyes, what their voices sound like, how they laugh… Do they have an accent and if so, how does this tie into the story? Did they like school, and were they bullied or maybe they were bullies themselves? Are they peaceful, angry, restless, hungry, lazy or perhaps they’re apathetic, waiting for that jolt of action, that catalyst that I’ll throw their way, the one that will spur them to action?

Familial relationships, geneology, childhood vacations, most-hated foods, most loved foods, favourite bedtime story, the sound of a sneeze, changing body language in different situations – the list of things to ponder and imagine is endless.

I wouldn’t be surprised if readers of this blog stop at this point and say, “oh really, that’s just NOT realistic – what is she doing, writing a backstory that’s as long as War and Peace?” and the answer is yes and no – yes, in that I think about all of that – but no in terms of how much of it actually makes it into the book – that might well just end up being a couple of lines. However, if you’ve mapped out all of the above (and then some!), the authenticity of the backstory will shine through so strongly that your character will be utterly believable even when the only thing you mention is the curve of her cheekbone.

And your in-depth backstory will help you with the dialogue too – you’ll know what kind of expressions your character will use, or the tone and inflection with which she’ll say things.

 The most helpful tip I’ve learnt for achieving effective dialogue is this: read your copy out loud. You may think you sound as foolish as all heck, but give it a try, it really works.

Once you have all these elements, you can go even further by adding a sprinkle of idiosyncrasy and this is where you can have all kinds of fun. And because of all your hard work in understanding your protagonist and fleshing out her backstory, her idiosyncrasies will be believable and then, because of the idiosyncrasies, she’ll be unforgettable which is just about the best thing one can achieve with a character.

And don’t forget, you also have to name your protagonist and my goodness, is this ever a challenge! A name immediately reveals so much and is critically important, because this is your reader’s first introduction to your key player (or any player in fact. Even minor bit part players add weight to the richness of a book and their names are equally as important).

I always hope that even if my characters aren’t immediately likeable, that they will be intriguing. A reader doesn’t particularly have to like a character but they do need to care about them and while that may sound odd or contradictory, think about all the great villains in literature – nice guys are tossed aside in favour the bad boy for good reason – they’re far more entertaining!

So there you have it, three key points to 3D character development: backstory, dialogue and idiosyncrasies – plus a few other bits and pieces that I hope you’ll find helpful.

ABOUT THE BOOK

THANKS TO AUTHOR, LISA de NIKOLITS, I HAVE
ONE (1) COPY OF HER BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.

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