Sep 6, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Heart’s Song by Aaoron Gansky and Kaye Morrison
Okay. If y’all missed the podcast last night, or any online banter between myself and the faux bro, I’m here to tell ya,
HE MADE ME CRY.
Okay, not him, really. This story. This modern-day rock romance between Geoff Morris and Emily Amhearst that’s played out via emails and text messages and phone transcripts and journal entries. What an amazing way to tell a story. What an amazing story to tell!
Written by Aaron Gansky and Kaye Morrison (Cindy Sproles), this is edge-of-your-seat action and emotion.
Now, full disclosure, I haven’t read the entire book yet. There’s been things like working and eating and sleeping and, wait for it–writing my own novel–that’s interfered. That may have contributed to the story-induced tears.
I can’t share with you the full text exchange that went on between me and Aaron the last two days, because I don’t want y’all to have any spoilers. Let’s just say on my end there was a lot of “#ihateyou” and on his end a lot of “Sorry. I’m going to be saying that a lot, aren’t I?” The book is just that beautiful. It really is. And it really did make me cry. In public. At my new job. See? I hate him. #notreally
Every dialogue transaction brought me deeper into the characters’ plights, their pull to each other, the world keeping them apart. One thing after another, and then finally, almost, together HAHA FOOLED YOU, but wait, no, he’s here, she’s here, YES!, nope, fooled you again, home calls, responsibilities, past troubles . . . Ugh. It’s like breathing underwater while trying to dance the Mambo. Get it? It can’t be done!
I’m almost half through the book and I’m so furious. Because I really want to know what happens with Geoff and Emily, and even Yaz. And Hailey. But I don’t have time. Like they don’t have time for each other. They call, but life interferes. Again and again.
I can tell you, the story starts with a bang. Literally. Well, almost literally. Emily’s boyfriend beats the youknowwhat out of her and Geoff sends her a ticket to safety. They knew each other back in the day, and have rekindled their friendship. Is it more? They want it to be. Or do they? He’s a budding rock star, she’s a quiet girl trying to put her life back together. They’re like oil and water.
They get to know each other again, on deeper levels, and it’s pretty revealing. And pretty misunderstood. And pretty terrific.
Look, if you’ve ever been in that get-to-know-you stage of a relationship, if you’ve ever had an ex who scarred you in different ways, if you’ve ever wanted to matter to someone, you need to read this book. Live vicariously through it. Root for Geoff and Emily. Because right now they’re being pulled apart. And they need all the rooting they can get.
Purchase Heart’s Song on Amazon.
TWEET THIS: Heart’s Song: A Modern-Day Romance @RealMojo68 @adgansky @cindydevoted #heartssong #romance
With an eager heart and a reading schedule,
Happy reading.
~Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Aug 19, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
Blank Pages are the World’s Canvas
Do you enjoy the written word in all its forms? Do you get distracted with closed captioning on your TV? What can I say: Join. The. Club.
As y’all have probably noticed, part of the blog redoux is book reviews. I’m trying to read one book each week. It’s a challenge, but so far, so good. At least for the past month. [It doesn’t hurt that the books I’ve read and reviewed are shorter than an average length novel. But hey, a girl’s gotta start somewhere.]
I know what I look for in a good book, and if you’ve read my reviews (oh, please tell me you’re reading my reviews!) you can pick up on what I like and don’t like. There are some aspects which are personal preference. I’m not a fan of profanity or gruesome bloodshed. Other readers may not have a problem with it. I’m drawn to historical romances, fantasy, and mysteries. Some people prefer science fiction and thrillers.
No matter what your reading style is, I hope you’ll agree there are some things that fundamentally make a good book:
- Good editing. Y’all can think the best story in the world, but if it’s not clear on paper, it won’t sell.
- A balance of dialogue vs action. “You can’t just keep rambling,” BEE said. Nippers rolled his eyes and poured another cup of coffee.
- First line, last line. Each book, each chapter, and hopefully each page leaves your reader wanting more.
- Description where it counts. Only where it counts. A book causes a movie to play in the head of the reader. Unless the specifics are necessary, leave a little room to the imagination. Describe people, scenes. Not the secondary atmosphere. A woman with long, red tresses is different than A tall female, gangly and pale, with carrot-red hair twisted under her black fedora. “She walked past the garbage which reeked of last week’s take-out.” We don’t need to know what last week’s take-out was. We already know that smell.
- Leave the door open a little. Not everything is wrapped up neatly in life. The end of a good book will conquer the plot at hand, but still leave a few questions unanswered.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : What Makes You Turn the Page?
Now I’d like to hear from you: What are some of your favorite books, and what do you like best about them?
TWEET THIS: What makes a good book? @RealMojo68 #amreading
TWEET THIS: What makes you turn the page? @RealMojo68 #amreading
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Aug 15, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
Frankly, My Dear . . . Boy, 9, Missing
Two months ago my brother took me to Barnes & Noble and said those most magical words. “Pick something.”
I’d passed this book on my way through the stacks, and the cover grabbed me. The back blurb grabbed me. And since my I-want-him-to-be-my-agent friend instructed me to stop reading Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil [I KNOW, right?! Good thing he didn’t tell me to also give up the movie before NOLA is finished!], this one seemed like a good fit to also use in my proposal and marketing plan at a not-too-much-later date.
I did the dutiful chore of pretending to ignore my brother. I said, “Oh, no. That’s okay. Thanks anyway.”
I squealed in public and gave him a hug and my mother said, “Molly Jo!” and I said, “Like I’m gonna pretend he didn’t just offer to buy me a book.” Please, peeps. We all know that’s tantamount to the winning lottery ticket, am I right? Shyah.
So, here’s where I get into the book. This means the spoiler section. Which means if you don’t want to know about the book, y’all need to turn the channel. That is, stop reading. Stop scrolling. Just leave the page now.
Really?
There’s no turning back.
Okay, then. You’re still here. [Thank you for that!]
Let me start with saying, I really wanted to like this book. I really did. The premise seemed like something I would like. The reviews were raves. But . . .
I can’t give it more than three stars. If I can rate it exactly two-and-a-half, I would. Because while the story telling is really good, I was taken out of the story too often.
Lucas, 9 years old, is found dead in his parents’ bath tub on an evening when they were hosting a dinner party with another family. The only, uhm, witness, is Sam, 10. Who says nothing about it. Nothing. For twenty-three years. And then his own nine-year-old son, Matthew, goes missing.
The story is told in first person narrative from Francis’s point of view. Francis is Lucas’s brother. He was just thirteen when it happened, and from then on he was struck with ridiculous anxiety some of which, when described, made me consider MONK on TV. He’s now an adult, has changed his last name to hide from the past, and works at the local newspaper where his boss is his old paramour.
The cast of characters include Francis’s fifteen-year-old daughter Amy who just came to live with him when her mother decided her career in Paris was more important than being a mom. Amy is a superfluous character and to be honest, I found the story reminded me of her existence. It could have easily been told without her. Francis was so wrapped up in finding Matthew that he doesn’t see Amy for days. And she’s only been in town for days. Granted, that plays into his insecure dad role, but it wasn’t necessary. Francis is a mess already.
He has unlikely allies with Sam’s wife Miranda, who first attacks him; Cam, his aforementioned boss; Kira, a local news reporter who is writing Sam’s story; and a psychologist he tracks down after searching for his own father who has also gone missing and is the prime suspect in Matthew’s kidnapping.
Of course, a good mystery needs red herrings and misdirection. But some of the other characters and subplots are unnecessary and distracting. The narrative jumps from adult-Francis telling it as it happened, to the occasional “draft” written by Kira- in third person narrative, telling the events as relayed to her by Sam, to flashbacks. But these tend to jumble and are at times hard to follow. This both adds to and distracts from the story, leaving the reader feeling a little more unbalanced than they should.
The resolution was unfulfilling, a conglomerate of tying up loose ends and at parts, what Flannery O’Connor has stated as the “surprising but inevitable ending.” However, the wrap-up was very predictable and read a bit like someone trying to tie up all the ends, while unfortunately missing some.
The middle section of the book was heavy with F-bombs; not terribly overloaded but much more so than the rest of the book.
There were typos throughout the novel, which greatly detract from the reading experience. A few punctuation errors, word usage, and spelling. There were at least two instances of word usage where I couldn’t tell if the author failed at being clever, or an editor missed an error.
The biggest plot inconsistency happens right away: In the first chapter, the medical examiner stands over the tub, looking down at the “freakishly contorted” body in the water. Two pages later, we learn that prior to any officials coming on scene, Lucas’s and Francis’s mother had pulled Lucas’s body from the tub to try to resuscitate him. Did she put his unresponsive body back into the tub?
The author capitalizes the word “dumpster” throughout the book.
I don’t think this book is terrible, but I also don’t think it’s great. I can’t recommend it, but I won’t stop you from reading it.
Have you read a book that left you apathetic about it?
TWEET THIS: Review: Boy, 9, Missing, by Nic Joseph. @RealMojo68 #amreading #boy9missing
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
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Jul 10, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68
INVITATION: Harbingers, Cycle One
One of the perks of knowing the people I know, is every so often, I get asked to read books. For no other reason than to read them. And, you know, tell others [that would be you] what I think.
So, some time ago I was given a copy of the aforementioned book by podcast cohost, Alton Gansky. Being the ridiculously slow reader that I am, I didn’t pick the book up until a few weeks later. But once I got into it, I really got into it.
I actually pack it in my bag each day.
That’s something I don’t do, folks! I don’t read in public. I get too distracted. Or I have too many errands to do. But lately, I’ve forgone those pesky errands and planted myself during lunch at the local Starbucks just so I can read what happens next.
Now, Harbingers is unique for several reasons, and I’m gonna tell you why.
FIRST It started out with four authors, each writing a section, or “book”, from the perspective of their own character. That is, Book One was written by Bill Myers in the voice of his character, Brenda. Frank Peretti (later Jeff Gerke), Angie Hunt, and Al Gansky each take a spin for the following sections.
SECOND The first twelve books have been picked up to be published in “cycles”. The first four are in INVITATION.
THIRD It is a very quick read. Well, for most folks. I tend to not dive into a book until I can really commit to it, but this one reads so fast even I was pleasantly surprised. Each book was written to be read in just a day or two. That’s great for people like me. It’s also not great, because when I was done with the first book I just wanted to plow right in to the second one but this thing call housework and another thing called job got in the way.
FOURTH What a joy to read a book that doesn’t take the reader out of the story. As an editor, I naturally find myself critical of writing styles and search subconsciously for errors. I can happily say I was disappointed. Or, not disappointed. Or . . . I just mean the book made me forget I was an editor. That’s hard to do, and highly appreciated.
FIFTH I ain’t gonna lie to you here, the draw for me is I know or have at least met each of the authors except Frank Peretti. Now, when you’re a newbie in the Christian writing world, these are some pretty great names to know. But that’s just my little thing to hold on to.
So let me give you the rundown report on Book One: The Call by Bill Myers.
*WHOOT! WHOOT!* Wait a minute, folks. That’s the spoiler alarm going off! If you don’t want to know about the storyline, best to stop reading here and get yourself a copy of the book. But if you’ve already read it and want to see if my review compares to yours, then by all means, please continue.
SYNOPSIS: Brenda is a “street-hustling tattoo artist who sees images of the future.” Her clients think it’s a game when she tattoos what she sees on them. Two guys bring a drunk friend (“Tank”) and leave him there. The same friend she’s been seeing in her visions. After she works her magic, she’s ready to leave for the night but Tank’s friends don’t return. She’s not the kind to leave him passed out on the sidewalk so she gets him into her car.
Before she can start driving, a low-flying plane, on fire, shoots overhead. Brenda drives to follow it and finds the Professor and Andi have survived the crash. Tank recognizes they are all in the new tattoo on his arm. Whether they like it or not, their paths have brought them together. They discover The Institute: A location known for mysterious events and promoting students with quite a bit of, shall we say, psychic activity.
They meet Sridhar, an unwilling student, and Dr. Trenton, the man in charge. But even now things aren’t what they seem. A terrible energy field controls and amplifies the worst fears of those who enter it. Chants and smoke contribute to the graduation induction ceremony for students as they prepare to go into world with the skills they’ve developed, and the spirit guides they’ve received.
It seems our four are the only ones who recognize Sridhar’s apprehension, and understand they must rescue him. And so they try. But how can four unarmed strangers unite in a game plan against security guards and strong, dark energy?
That, my friends, is why you must by this book. Because I won’t tell you the rest.
A well-written, easy to read, fast paced story that has depth of character, backstory, suspense, conflict. All the things you want in a book. With enough realism to gnaw at the back of your neck as you read about spirits and demons, but enough fabrication to let you sleep at night . . . maybe.
Book One: The Call by Bill Myers is just the beginning. Stay tuned for reports on the rest of INVITATION.
TWEET THIS: Frankly, My Dear . . .: The Harbingers, C1B1: The Call by Bill Myers. @realmojo68 #harbingers #amreading
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
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Jun 8, 2014 |
Disclaimer: Aaron D. Gansky has been a friend of mine for many years. It is because we are both Christian writers (and he is married to one of my close friends which is how we met) that we get along well. These facts have in no way influenced this book review.
The Bargain is a Selah Award Finalist in Fiction novel. It is a suspenseful Christian fantasy story written by Aaron D. Gansky. It is available for purchase through Amazon and Amazon Kindle.
Aaron D. Gansky
I bought The Bargain for my Kindle. I’m all about supporting local artists. I also like to read what others are writing, and learn from their style and format. The Bargain did not disappoint.
To be honest, I’m no longer much of a reader (I still haven’t finished the Louie L’Amour book I started two summers ago). I want to be. But I keep myself busy with the day job, home life with Dot at Bedford Manor, and writing my own stories.
But one evening I needed a break from all that. So I picked up my Kindle and decided to glance through the first few pages. The more I read, the more I understood the cover art. Can you see it? A pensive man, a train, and a desert. And oh, so much more!
The Bargain by Aaron D. Gansky
It took just seven days for me to finish the story. I haven’t read that fast since I was pregnant with Dot . . . and she’s 19. I found myself irritated that my aforementioned life responsibilities got in the way of reading more, say at 3 o’clock in the morning or during office hours. I made Starbucks staff look at me funny as I gasped, frequently. (Note to self: stop emoting in public.)
The Bargain tells the story of international reporter Connor Reedly, in his own voice, as he struggles to find meaning and make sense of his dying wife, Nadine, and a town the world wants to forget. They arrive in Hailey, home of Nadine’s sister, Aida and her friend Mason. Mason is tasked with offering Connor $250,000 if he writes ten articles in eight days. Mason hints that to refuse means certain death for Nadine, and all of Hailey.
Connor has to choose between spending his wife’s dying days at her side making her comfortable, or talking to strangers in hope of saving her. What secrets does he uncover? In the end, is Hailey really worth saving?
The Bargain, although written by a Christian author and containing Christian themes, is not only for Christian readers. It’s not an in-your-face sermon. The characters are hardened, tough, bitter. They are criminals telling their stories. They are victims sharing their loads. They are a collection of folk who are nitty-gritty in a place that no one wants to visit, let alone live.
And it’s up to Connor, a non-believer, to find out if there are any redeemable qualities, not only in Hailey, but in himself as well.
Okay. That’s the synopsis. Here’s what The Bargain did for me personally:
- It made me cry. It really did. Aaron’s characters are true, honest, not polished or cleaned up. The reality that life sometimes sucks invades this book not with a depressing countenance, but with a breathless, there-but-for-the-grace-of-God-go-I sort of reading. I found myself nodding in understanding at each interaction, with all of Connor’s thoughts, and even in the solitude faced by the characters and Hailey as a whole.
- I saw much of myself in this blend of people. From those who make no sense of their struggles, to those who justify their wrongdoings, to those who question everything, to those who just accept the world as it is. From the hopeless to the hopeful, there is a bit of each of us in each of the characters.
- It left me wanting more. I’m a sucker for ongoing stories and I was sad when I reached the end. I like the continuing soap operas, trilogy movies, etc. So if you’re reading this, Aaron (and I know you are!), please tell me you’re writing more. If not these characters, then more like them. Please. Thank you.
- It changed my perspective. Life isn’t always pretty. That doesn’t mean it has to be hell on earth. It’s not always about me (or Connor) and sometimes the choices aren’t easy. But they are choices. Sometimes, what you think will work, doesn’t. But sometimes, just sometimes, what you have no hope for actually happens. Or something completely different. This book affirmed it’s okay to just close your eyes and say, “What’s next?”
There’s so much more I want to tell you, but I don’t want to give away the ending. I will, however, share my short interview with Aaron for this giveaway:
- Mojo: Is this your first suspense novel?
Aaron: Yes and no. My first novel was also suspense, but, like most first novels, it wasn’t good, and hasn’t been published.
- Mojo: How long did it take you to write it once you had the idea?
Aaron: It was the matter of about eight months from concept to the end of draft one. Tack on another couple of months for editing, then a lot of years shopping it to publishers. Once it was published, we worked on edits for another couple of months. I’d estimate, conservatively, it was a little under two years of active work (most in revisions and edits).
- Mojo: What was the hardest part about writing THE BARGAIN?
Aaron: That’s a good question. For me, the writing isn’t the hard part, it’s the shopping and waiting for publication. But, because I wrote it when my kids were young, I’d say the hardest part was waking up early to write before my kids got up. I kept Starbucks’ pockets well lined in those thin hours of the mornings. In context of craft, I struggled to keep the quality high throughout the novel. My challenge was to make each “article” stand up to the last. I had the first few in mind, but coming up with the others that would be as equally as compelling gave me a lot of trouble.
- Mojo: It’s a fast paced read, and at times volatile and emotional. Did you ever find yourself getting caught up in the story instead of writing it?
Aaron: I did. I think, more than anything else, the final scene in Veronica’s story is what really got me. I won’t spoil it, but if you’ve read it, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It was a chilling scene to write. I knew exactly how I wanted to handle it, and it came pretty naturally, and the words fell into place, and horrified me with each letter that dropped. My hope is that my readers have a similar experience when they read it—a chilling terror that washes over a subtle, quiet hope.
- Mojo: What is your writing process (outline v. discovery)? I learned those terms on your podcast.
Aaron: I’m a die-hard discovery writer. It’s how my mind works. I can outline, but I’ve not had nearly as much success with that strategy.
So. Are you intrigued enough to read The Bargain? Do you want to win your own autographed copy? Then look no further and enter below!
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