Book Reviews – Page 4 – Nicci Carrera

April 2, 2013April 2, 2013 Nicci Book Reviews, Romance

$1000 prize, author interview & book review, When Summer Comes, by Brenda Novak

ALERT: When Summer Comes is on sale for $1.99 (instead of $6.99) across all digital platforms for a limited time only. This is rare for a front-list book. Grab it.

PRIZE: Go to Brendanovak.com for a chance to win. Have some fun too, all you have to do to enter is answer the question: What would you do this summer if you thought it was your last? The winner will receive a $1000 travel voucher to ANYWHERE. Winner will be drawn on April 30th and notified by email on May 1st.

An interview with this New York TImes bestselling author follows the review.

She’s done it again. In this compelling and wonderful installment of the Whiskey Creek series, Levi, the hero, as a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, has unfortunate but realistic motivation for his conflicts. In fact, realism pervades Ms. Novak’s work and, along with naturalness, is one of my favorite things about her writing. It’s a connected series, meaning you get to know the characters and the town, but you don’t have to read them in order.

Since I don’t know how Brenda does her magic, I decided to ask her, and she agreed to answer some questions for this blog.

Before I get to this wonderful interview, I would like to state the obvious: I’m a huge fan of Brenda Novak. Obviously, of her writing, but also of her, as a person. I’ve had the privilege of meeting Brenda a few times, always when she was extending herself to help other writers or readers.

She is a generous person and one who makes a huge difference beyond her writing. Brenda used her success as an author to create, develop and nurture an online auction to fund diabetes research.

She started with an idea, did it, and, over the years has raised $1.6 million (so far!) to help improve the lives of people living with this disease.

How many people do you love have diabetes and how many people do you know have a loved one with this disease? I counted nine for myself, in less than a minute. I’m sure there are more in my life or one or two degrees of separation from me.

Research scientists have made some impressive progress on this disease. I have read about exciting breakthroughs in research, improvements in treatment and glimmers of hope on the horizon for a cure. None of that progress would have happened without funding.

Of course, other people have given generously to the auction, and it has grown so large Brenda has someone helping her with the administration now, but today I want to celebrate the person who not only writes wonderful, uplifting, entertaining books, but who also created this auction and keeps it going year after year.

So, let’s hear some from Brenda:

Brenda, the cover art on When Summer Comes is radiant. It reminds me of you! Were you happy with the cover?

Yes! Of the first three books in this series, this was definitely my favorite. When I look at the cover, I feel the warmth of the sun. I like that. 

Can you tell us what inspired you to write this book?

I had a very close girlfriend go through something similar to the heroine of this book just after college. She was young, beautiful, healthy—and then diagnosed with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. We couldn’t believe it when we received the news that she would die without a transplant. She looked and acted as if she was fine. But slowly…the lack of a functioning liver started to take its toll. Luckily, my friend did receive a new liver (many thanks to the donor and the system that made this possible). It’s been ten years since then, and she’s just as beautiful now as she ever was—she’s also thriving, and that makes me so happy. I wanted to give Callie a wake-up call, something that would make her change her outlook on life and also be open to what she does for the hero.

Your natural style is my favorite thing about your books, well… besides how they always touch my heart. From listening to you in the past, I know that you are a “pantser” by which we Romance writers mean you “write by the seat of your pants” rather than “plotting” out every detail in advance. I think this adds to the appeal of your stories, because romance evolves naturally from the characters rather than feeling the author’s hand in the story. Did you ever try plotting everything, in the early days, or were you always a “pantser?”

Thank you! I did try plotting (or my version of it since I’m not even sure how). But I quickly ran into a debilitating problem. Trying to force the story in the direction I thought it should go resulted in a lack of emotional intensity. And if it was a suspense novel, I’d give away too much information (who the killer was, for instance). I guess, at heart, I’m a blabbermouth, because I couldn’t hold back. LOL So I finally realized I needed to let the characters speak for themselves and just go with it. I’m surprised that this method doesn’t require more re-writing than it does. I think my subconscious knows the end of the story before my conscious mind, and that helps direct me.

Brenda, you once told me the conflict is the engine that drives the book. When you come up with an idea for a book, do you think of the conflict first or do the conflicts come from the characters?

I definitely come up with the conflict first. The characters spin off of that (what kind of characters would be most interesting faced with such a problem—it’s usually someone who wouldn’t handle that problem well). And the plot grows out of the character. So it’s…one, two, three for me.

Those of us who participate in your auction know your youngest son, Thad, was diagnosed with Type I diabetes when he was five. When did you have the idea for the auction and what gave you the idea for this particular fund-raising method?

I had the idea for the auction about eighteen months after he was diagnosed. He’s had diabetes for eleven years. I’ve been doing the auction for nine of them. I was a young mother, with a young career and no resources. I was searching for a way to get involved and fight back. But I couldn’t come up with anything that was plausible for me—until I attended a silent auction at his school. Then, as I was standing there looking around, it occurred to me that there had to be an easier way to raise funds than to try and get everyone to come out to a physical location all at once (and to feed them all!). That’s when the light bulb went on and I realized that I could use my website as the destination for a fundraiser where people could shop at their leisure.

Does the auction only offer items interesting to writers?

The auction offers all kinds of items—trips & stays, jewelry, handmade items, autographed items, Coach purses, antique or retro items, etc.

You have raised $1.6 million so far. What is your goal this year?

We are hoping to break the $2 million mark!

How many people help you with the administration of the auction?

I just have one part-time assistant and two wonderful and dedicated volunteers.

Here’s where you can find Brenda, the auction, When Summer Comes and all of the Whiskey Creek series books:

http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com

www.brendanovak.com

March 24, 2013March 24, 2013 Nicci Book Reviews, Romance

Compelling Yet Cozy, book review, When Snow Falls, by Brenda Novak

This book was my first Brenda Novak and it made me a fan, particularly of this series, as it helped through a challenging holiday season. When my real-life, nail-biter situation of two friends in the hospital woke me in the middle of the night, I read When Snow Falls under the covers with my flashlight (so as not to wake dear hubby). The combination is perfect:

Compelling page turner
Cozy white Christmas
Good and not-so-good but very realistic characters

I love Cheyenne. I feel like I would make every decision Chey makes and feel every feeling that Chey feels, if I were in her circumstances. One time, after she did something, she said, “That was so colossally stupid.” I love that line! I could see myself doing that very thing and then slapping my forehead and saying that.

There’s a juicy twist, partway in, that I didn’t see coming at all!

All that and a satisfying end. Who needs whiskey when you can have Whiskey Creek?

March 6, 2013June 17, 2013 Nicci Book Reviews, Literary

Cool and noir, book review, Horse Two, Anita Dime

June 17, 2013 update: The author created a “radio play” of the first part of Horse II. It’s really good, and not too long. You can get the MP3 on her site:

http://www.coffeecontrails.com

Recommend short story for writers and readers with an interest in noir and a taste for literature that makes you think. Some caveats to this recommendation are below.

****SPOILER ALERT****

This high-quality short story includes original linocuts by the author. In the noir genre, it explores how a convenient choice, one made to get oneself out of a bind, can destroy love, both romantic love and love of one’s favorite thing in life.

Not for the faint-of-heart, this story involves the murder of a horse. Keep going, though. See where the author takes it. Enjoy her spare, very deep point-of-view craftsmanship as well as her success in male POV.

The story is spot-on in its rendering of the impact a single bad choice can have on a person’s life. Like many literary works of fiction, while the reading of it challenges, the thoughts stick. This quiet, small situation affecting just a few not-famous people is a study in the same phenomena behind the catastrophic mistakes made by people who hit the news when their bad, short-term choices affect millions of people.

If you are a Romance genre reader, this story provides the yang to the yin of happily-ever-after outcomes. That is, in Romance, while the characters make seemingly irretrievable mistakes along the way, in the end, they are able to overcome their mistakes and achieve love. This story explores the opposite ending.

The big craft take-aways are: Set the stakes high and choose the pivotal experience in the character’s life.

The murder of the horse is softened at the end of the book. You’ll feel better.

The linocuts are beautiful and enhance the noir experience.

You can buy it here: Horse Two

Author websites: Anita Dime, Flat Car Studios

A great review of this story is here: NoirWHALE

March 1, 2013March 1, 2013 Nicci Book Reviews, Literary, Poetry

Writing craft musings, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, James Joyce

Old book, fresh phrases…

Another Irish author (The Istanbul Puzzle, Laurence O’Bryan) and an Australian poet (Dry Bones, John Holland) recalls an old favorite.

A profound, albeit disturbing, autobiographical, coming-of-age novel, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man takes you inside the forming mind of a deeply impressionable person who feels words.

The audio version evokes the author’s experience particularly well. As a Jesuit education and interactions with rambunctious peers shape the wide-eyed, innocent boy and transform him into an independent, incisive, if cynical young man, you encounter the effect on his growing mind of words — one scene has the young Stephen Dedalus coming upon a group of boys crowded around a desk, in deep conspiracy. They run away and he approaches the desk where he finds the word, “fetus,” scratched into it. The juxtaposition of the boys’ reactions to the word and Stephen’s reaction, from inside Stephen’s head, shows the catalytic potential of a single word.

Of course, poets rely upon words affecting the reader in both predictable and unpredictable ways. To reiterate, do check out Dry Bones, John Holland, for a contemporary experience of word power.

And if you like the talent of the Irish and desire a thriller along the lines of The DaVinci Code (only better), check out another contemporary wordsmith, The Istanbul Puzzle, Laurence O’Bryan.

And writers, here are some fresh words and phrases noted from A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, simple words, yet fresh:

A spine of rocks…

he bent toward the lane that led to his house

a short laugh broke from his lips

Stephen’s heart had shriveled up like a flower in the desert…

… his heart folded in on itself

he ceased to clasp his hands before him

The rector paused and then, shaking his clasped hands before him, went on.

He looked at them keenly out of his dark, stern eyes.

A little wave of quiet mirth broke over the class of boys

from the rector’s grim smile

he passed from the hall… and halted before the stable

a movement of impatience escaped him

this welcome ended in a soft peal of mirthless laughter

…had drawn from him a movement of impatience

The following section is interesting in how Joyce conveyed the protagonist’s inner shift, or realization, that his private experience was safe from and untouched by the boys’ teasing:

Stephen’s movement of anger had passed. He was neither flattered nor confused but simply wished the banter to end. He had scarcely resented what seemed to him at first a simple indelicacy for he knew that the adventure in his mind stood in no danger from the words and his face mirrored his rival’s false smile.

In the following excerpt, the “stroke” is from a switch (whip) against Stephen’s leg inflicted by his rival. Interesting observation… the gesture had grown more aggressive, and this fact is conveyed subtly yet effectively:

The stroke was playful, but not so lightly given as the first.

February 26, 2013February 26, 2013 Nicci Book Reviews, Mystery

Masterpiece thriller, book review The Istanbul Puzzle, Laurence O’Bryan

This is an outstanding book that has been well reviewed elsewhere (see quotes at end of post).

Today’s post will focus on a few writer’s questions and answers.

************SPOILER ALERT************

Interview with Laurence O’Bryan, author of The Istanbul Puzzle, HarperCollins

Hello, Laurence. Thank you for taking some time to answer these writer questions about The Istanbul Puzzle.

Let me start by relaying a story that helps me provide my overall review of the book.

The recently late Barnaby Conrad (1922 – 2013) (New York Times obit), had a book published called Last Boat to Cadiz (Capra Press, 2003). On the book jacket is written an endorsement of the sincerest kind, “I wish I had written this book – Ole!” That was Ray Bradbury. Since I cannot improve upon this man, I am borrowing and paraphrasing his words for my endorsement of The Istanbul Puzzle. I wish I had written it. Bravo!

This will be a writer’s interview as I don’t really think it’s possible for me to read as “just a reader” any more.

First of all, your excellent article, Writing with Emotional Hooks, http://www.writing.ie/resources/laurence-obryan-on-writing-with-emotional-hooks/ covers a great deal of craft, very well. One of the things I struggle with in writing emotion is physical reaction. I’ve taken some classes, study other authors, and hence am aware there are specific, predictable physical reactions to strong emotions. Unfortunately, to come up with fresh writing for these, is very difficult. I’d like to call out some of your prime examples and ask you if you started with the basis of knowing what the physical reactions were and then went deeper, if you collected them from close observation of people, were struck by the muse, all of the above or something else entirely?

SHOCK

“…your colleague Mr Zegliwski is…” He hesitated. “… dead.”
A void opened beneath me. That was the one word he wasn’t supposed to say. (Page 15)

Something around me seemed to be changing, as if a hidden door had opened somewhere and a breeze had begun blowing. (Page 16)

I stared, unblinking. I was watching what was happening, but from far away. (Page 36)

The reality of being shot at was like being at a fairground in a nightmare: everything seemed brighter, people were smiling, but way too much. (Page 248)

DREAD:

I desperately wanted to leave. There was something pressing into my chest. (Page 36)

“Mr. Ryan?” It was the receptionist who’d given me that envelope. I sat on the bed, cradling the telephone against my bare shoulder. The gossamer breeze from the window felt like water running over my skin. (Page 48)

SECOND-DEGREE EFFECT:

Tragedy warps everything. (Page 47)

FEAR:

Adrenaline pumped through me, tingling every muscle. The hair on my body stood up straight. My scalp felt tight. (Page 50)

(Nice word choice there, tingling as a verb.)

She tried to wriggle free. He held her tighter. Icy lumps of fear passed through her veins. (Page 297)

DISDAIN/DISGUST

…the expression on Peter’s face was that of a wine waiter who’d just been asked for plum juice. (Page 71)

GRIEF:

And I’d been grateful to come and that he wanted to see me. In the end though, the words he told me felt like knives plunging into my heart. (Page 82)

THREAT/PREDATOR:

“If things go as expected, we will all have a lot to thank you for.” Arap smiled, like a pike in front of its prey. (Page 126)

ROMANTIC ACCEPTANCE:

But there was a softness in her eyes, as if she was happy I pressed hard to go with her. She wasn’t going to make things easy, but she wanted me to come along. (Page 276)

LOB: Hi all! Thanks for all your kind comments. There are two key drivers behind getting emotion right in your writing.

1. Imagine what you would feel if you were in your character’s shoes. Close your eyes, feel it in your body, then show us what it’s like.

2. Don’t ever use a cliché. A pike in front of his prey for instance is simply me looking for a new way to tell readers what a malicious smile is like.

You also handle character motivation very carefully, thoroughly and constantly:

I had nothing to lose anymore — no family, and my best friend was dead. “I’ll be going to Hagia Eirene this afternoon….” (Page 122)

Did you spend a lot of time in your apprenticeship learning and getting feedback on handling of character motivation?

LOB: I believe it is important to provide motivation clues. I spent twelve years writing every day before I was published. Motivation, I learned, should be either obvious – someone is trying to kill the character and they have to do something – or made clear in some way.

Now to delve into a few other corners I observed while enjoying the experience of my first read of The Istanbul Puzzle:

I like the way you used the principles of the hero’s journey as the devices to prove the falling in love. Test, Allies, Enemies, Approach to the Inmost Cave and The Ordeal. Momentary digression on the idea of “proving” the characters are falling in love, Ray Bradbury once said, during his opening speech at one of the Santa Barbara Writer’s Conferences, “Don’t just tell me they fell in love. Prove it to me!” He paced back and forth across the stage in his fabulous baggy shorts waving his arms and giving us examples. I will say that the memory bloomed in full color when I read the tunnel scene in The Istanbul Puzzle. You probably can’t answer this, but I need to ask, how long did it take you to write that scene? It is perfect and awesome. In this the love proof takes a leap and you prove it again and again through the other major plot points until the end is just a deeply satisfyingly, resonantly true finale. In summary, my questions are:

NS: Have you read and did you think about The Writer’s Journey, by Christopher Vogler when writing The Istanbul Puzzle?

LOB: Yes. I have read The Writer’s Journey and I am familiar with the mythic structure of story. The Istanbul Puzzle is a modern myth, a fable about the search for the one thing that will save us from damnation.

What is it? Look inside your heart.

NS: How long did it take you to write the tunnel scene?

LOB: Not sure. The whole book was seven years in the making. Probably six months on that scene.

Regarding your journey as a writer, have you read The Career Novelist by Donald Maass? If so, did you choose a genre because of his advice and do you plan to do straight literary ever? If so, will you go back and forth or depart from genre? Explore another genre, perhaps? Or do you even know?

LOB: I read Donald’s The Breakout Novel workbook and really found it helpful. I went to the conspiracy genre because that is what I like to read. I hope to publish psychological thrillers too, if my publisher will let me!

I also wanted to just commend you on your expertise on the back-story weave. Example:

I’d learned in the past few years to disdain pity, to look ahead, to act strong, to not think too much. I needed every one of those lessons now. (Page 36)

Did you learn this at a writer’s conference, a book, reading others, or do you even know?

LOB: Weaving backstory is a basic lesson for all writers. If you can also show character at the same time all the better.

Who are your major influences for this novel? And who for your writing in general?

LOB: The Da Vinci Code, The Lord of the Rings and I, Cladius are all influences on The Istanbul Puzzle.

And on a final note, the only problem I had with the book was that it was scary. Can you write a thriller that isn’t scary? (Kidding.)

Sorry – the next one is more scary!

I was at a 10 year anniversary celebration of a club I (recently joined) of avid romance readers. One of the questions in our getting-to-know-each-other game was, what is your favorite kind of heroine?

Fairly universal answer: “Kick ass!” “Strong!” “Competent!” “Brave!” And boy did you ever achieve that with Isabel Sharp:

“Do you have any idea what a bitch this car is to park?” she said. (Page 51)

That was one of Isabel’s first lines in the novel, spoken after narrowly escaping with their lives, fleeing bullets. Which reminds me, the humor in your hero and heroine make them even more realistic and likeable.

Isabel spoke at length, without giving anything away. She’d make a good politician. (Page 262:)

Competent, and especially nice since he is admiring this trait in her.

She was dressed in a tight-fitting black trouser suit. Under her jacket she wore a lacy black bra, which revealed itself when she leaned forward, which she was doing right now. Page 256

(Ha ha! Very competent!)

There are many examples of her staying very cool under pressure while still feeling things strongly, being very human. Isabel Sharp is a wonderful heroine.

And The Istanbul Puzzle is a wonderful book.

Bravo!

Buy the book: http://www.viewBook.at/TheIstanbulPuzzle

Author Blog: http://www.lpobryan.com

Follow on Twitter: @LPOBryan

Here are some highlighted reviews from Mr. O’Bryan’s blog (lpobryan.wordpress.com):

The Telegraph had this to say about The Istanbul Puzzle: “A brisk plot . . . which draws the reader into a conspiratorial rapport. He’s come late to fiction. Clearly he means to enjoy it.”

The Lancashire Evening Post had this to say: “An impressive debut; well written, beautifully descriptive, and with a smart dialogue and a compelling air of menace throughout.”

The Irish Independent said: “This stylish conspiracy thriller is a Turkish delight. O’Bryan’s compelling debut thriller combines plenty of stirring action with fascinating historical detail.”

Norma Britton, a reviewer on Amazon had this to say about The Jerusalem Puzzle: “I really enjoyed The Istanbul Puzzle but O’Bryan’s follow-up The Jerusalem Puzzle is far superior.”

The Istanbul Puzzle, the first novel in the series, has been sold for translation into 10 languages. It was also, for a number of weeks in 2012, a No 1 Bestseller on Amazon. Each book in this series stands alone as a complete novel. The Istanbul Puzzle was shortlisted for the Irish crime novel of the year 2012.

February 17, 2013February 17, 2013 Nicci Book Reviews, Romance, Uncategorized

Erotic romance, the real deal… book (multiple) review, Marie Tuhart

Note: This blog post has links to books intended for audiences aged 18 years or older. It also has suggestive book cover photos.

Anais Nin and Colette were this author’s big thrill in her early 20s. Plucking Colette off a bookcase in the basement of the famous City Lights Bookstore (http://www.citylights.com/) in San Francisco, flipping through the pages, wondering how authors dared to write like that!

Erotic romance differs from Erotica. Erotica doesn’t necessarily have a happy ending. Erotic romance does. And a complete story line.

Marie Tuhart is a great introduction to this sub-genre. Her work is also awesome for readers who are already fans of this area of literature. These books are quite popular, meeting with very positive reviews.

Not erotic romance, but… book review Desert Prince, Lynne Graham

Erotic romance is more… well, you know, if you’ve read any. If not, stay tuned. Some reviews are coming soon!

Desert Prince, Bride of Innocence, Harlequin Presents February, 2010

An older book, but still available on Kindle and in large print.

Very sexy and emotional.

Kindle version:

http://www.amazon.com/Desert-Innocence-Harlequin-Presents-ebook/dp/B002WEPG24/ref=sr_1_2_title_1_kin?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1360431338&sr=1-2&keywords=desert+prince

I won’t offer extracts here as their steaminess goes outside the bounds of not adult content, but this is classic romance, folks.

Enjoy.

February 1, 2013February 1, 2013 Nicci Book Reviews, Nonfiction

You want to sail through your life like a beautiful ship. book review New York City Ballet Workout, Peter Martins

…aware of your body as you move through space.

Gorgeous, in every way. The photos are art, the posed dancers are art, the philosophy is beauty, the effect is immediate. Feel looser and stronger after one workout. Be inspired while you do it.

…If you take care of your body, your body will take care of you. It sounds simple, but when you look better and feel better your outlook on life improves. That’s why I believe this workout is a success — because it’s not only based on dance, it’s grounded in good health.

…I think ballet can bring something to everyone. Dance, by its very nature, by the fact that glorious bodies are moving through space, needs no translation. Ballet is a beautiful art form. And dancers are not just beautiful people, they are some of the most dedicated people I know. Ballet is pure and demands you serve something larger than yourself, whether it be beauty or art, or a combination of both. It requires discipline, taking care of yourself, taking care of your own body first. Then it allows you to give of that beauty, the beauty that you acquire by sculpting your own body all your life.

We try to reflect many of these aspects of ballet in our workout. See if by using these techniques to sculpt your outer self, you don’t find a new poise and confidence radiating from your inner self is well.

Peter Martins

Ballet Master in Chief
New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet Workout, Fifty Stretches and Exercises Anyone Can Do for a Strong, Graceful, and Sculpted Body

January 29, 2013January 29, 2013 Nicci Book Reviews, Poetry

Can a dash, a space, a word convey worlds? Book review, Dry Bones, John Holland

When placed on a page by John Holland, yes.

The use of pauses makes this book read like it’s breathing.

Breathe along and:

Experience the Australian Outback from a saddle.
Follow an unflinching eye into the shadowed corners of our world.
Witness the characters who dwell there.
Feel pride in honest work we pretend doesn’t exist.
Sweat out a Queensland summer.
Fly fish in the:

iridescent blue of tropical shallows

From Blue Dreaming, Holland, John (2012-11-20). Dry Bones (Kindle Locations 229-231). Stonesthrow Poetry / Lazarus Media LLC. Kindle Edition.

Walk away from this book not only knowing more about Australia but unable to see your own world in the same way.
Come back again and again to check how it mirrors and extends your experience.

Book:
Dry Bones

Author website:
http://poetrysansfrontieres.weebly.com/

***** SPOILER ALERT*****

A gracious man as well as talented poet, Mr. Holland supplied these answers to my questions.

General question: In your bio, it says you’ve worked as a stockman. Is that the same thing as a cowboy?

* Yes.

Points of clarification about some of the poems:

Tea and Sugar

* Tea and Sugar is very Australian. Some early settlers in the north poisoned tea to exterminate large groups of aboriginals. The tea was heavily sugared to mask the taste. Captain Bradshaw was an early settler who set up a huge cattle station. There is no indication that he was involved in such practices though. I used his name because his grave was on one of the cattle stations (ranches) I lived on as a child. There was also a massacre location we children were forbidden to go near.

Now You See Her

* The man in the poem is seeing visions of a woman. He is alone at a campfire and the light reflected from rocks is playing tricks on his mind.

Coming Apart

* Falling apart. Losing control and vanishing into one’s own mind.

China Doll

* He is a Vietnam Vet. Scarred by his experiences. She is a woman he knew in Saigon.

Chewing Sugar Cane

* There are two reasons for using the term Mango Madness. One is there is a drink called that. The other is a reference to the “madness” that affects people in the tropics during very hot and wet summers.

Breaking Even

* The pig’s blood is just to signify that Satanists might get up to all sorts of bad things. The reader can supply their own particular demons.

Afterwards

* Written about the day after Cyclone Yasi came through Townsville.

Dry Bones

* Some aboriginal tribes gather the dried bones of their dead and chew white ochre and spit it out all over the bones. The bones are then placed in a hollow tree or a cave. In the end that’s all there is to life and death.

Dancing in the Dirt

* Love that wasn’t meant to be, but happened anyway. Now she is back crying in other man’s alley.

Remembering

* The dark we emerge from. The dark we return to.

Tracks

* It is about a drug addicted woman. What she will do to satisfy her craving and how the innocent might be injured by it.

All Through the Long Day

* Days can seem forever in the saddle. That gives you too much time to think about where you are, where you’ve been and where you are going to.

January 27, 2013January 27, 2013 Nicci Book Reviews, Romance

Can words be invisible? Book review, When Lightning Strikes, Brenda Novak

Yes, when the writer is Brenda Novak.

Writing so natural, you’ll be swept along without even realizing you’re reading.

Conflict so gripping, you’ll be flipping through the pages as fast as you can.

Believable characters you’ll love and root for.

An escape into a homey two-bedroom house in the California gold country.

A love story unfolding in a way you’ll feel is happening to you.

Moments like these to touch your heart:

But did he really want to fall back into his old lifestyle? What about the woman who’d made him happy to live in an eight-hundred-square-foot house and work as a carpenter?