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Haunting Bombay by Shilpa Agarwal

Shilpa Agarwal‘s Haunting Bombay immerses readers in a deeply saturated drama and literary ghost story reminiscent of the Bollywood films the Mittal family’s driver Gulu adapts into his own adventures.  Set in Bombay, India, the story spans two decades from the end of World War II into the 1960s.

Each member of the Mittal family is vivid from the main protagonist Pinky, a thirteen-year-old girl uncomfortable with her place in the family and grandmother Maji, who keeps the family unit running smoothly and keeps all of its secrets secure to self-centered Savita, Maji’s daughter-in-law bent on driving Pinky out and her seventeen-year-old son Nimish, who always has his head in a book and is too timid to talk to the girl he has a crush on.

“Pinky dreamt she was drowning.  She felt herself being pushed down into water, down, down, down until her lungs began to burst.  The only way out was to push her head farther in, to stop thrashing, to trust that she would not die.  But each time she grew afraid, each time she thrashed.  Each time she startled awake just as she was about to pass out.”  (Page 111)

Pinky’s mother dies during the partition of India, forcing her to become a refugee, but Maji takes her granddaughter into her bungalow, along with her son, his wife, and their three boys.  The mystery of the bolted bathroom door at night is resolved when Pinky in a fit of frustration unbolts the door.  Haunting Bombay is about the secrets buried within a family and the ghosts tied to those secrets until they burst through the bathroom door.

“Here it was, proof that she had once inhabited this place at the world’s rim, before she had begun to bleed, before the women had gathered, their salty voices crooning the ancient tale of the menstruating girl who caused the waves to turn blood-red and sea snakes to infest the waters.”  (Page 4)

Agarwal’s poetic language is like a siren song, pulling the reader into the Mittal family’s struggles with one another.  With the start of the monsoon season accompanied by the heavy rains, the ghost grows more powerful and the drama more turbulent.  Readers looking for a ghost story will get more than they bargained for with Haunting Bombay.  It’s a ghost story, mystery, and historical novel carefully crafted to hypnotize the reader.

Shilpa Agarwal kindly took the time out of her busy schedule–at the last minute, I might add, because I am incredibly out of sorts with my own schedule–to answer a few questions.  I graciously thank her.

1.  Please describe yourself as a writer and your book in 10 words or less. 

Myself as writer: A researcher, thinker, poet, dreamer.

Haunting Bombay: A literary ghost story set in Bombay, India.

2.  Haunting Bombay features a ghost story; what inspired you to use a haunting to illustrate family secrets and how they are uncovered? 

Haunting Bombay takes place in a wealthy Bombay bungalow and opens the day a newborn granddaughter drowns in a brass bucket while being bathed. The child’s ayah (nanny) is blamed for the death and is immediately banished from the household.  The child and her ayah are silenced in the realm of human language – they have no voice or power in the bungalow – so I had them come back in the supernatural realm in order to speak the truth of what happened that drowning day.  I remember a quote from Buddhist nun Pema Chodron that is something like, “Fear is what happens when you get closer to the truth.”  I wanted my characters’ journey to discovering the truth to be both frightening and enlightening, involving self-reflection, compassion, and sacrifice. 

3.  Do you have any particular writing habits, like listening to music while writing or having a precise page count to reach by the end of each day or week? 

When I was writing Haunting Bombay and my children were very young, I used to get up at 4:30 each morning to write because that was the only time in the day I had to myself.  Now I write while they are at school.  I always light a candle before writing, put my editorial hat away, and allow the story to unfold as it comes to me.  Later I go back and rewrite but I always like the first draft to come from a place of emotion and instinct.  My writing process is very organic.  I never write an outline because, inevitably, the story will take an entirely different direction than the one I’ve plotted out.   So I let the story flow, and however far I get that day is fine with me.

4.  Name some of the best books you’ve read lately and why you enjoyed them.

During my book travels these past months, I’ve met wonderful authors whose books I subsequently read, including Cara Black’s Murder in the Marais (Aimee Leduc Investigation), David Fuller’s Sweetsmoke, and Diane Gabaldon’s Outlander.  This weekend I spoke at an event with Judith Freeman, Ann Packer, and Jacqueline Winspear so Red Water: A Novel, The Dive From Clausen’s Pier: A Novel, and Maisie Dobbs are on my current reading list.  There is something almost magical in reading a book after hearing an author speak about it, and in this process my own interests have expanded into new genres of literature.  I also recently read Kathleen Kent’s The Heretic’s Daughter: A Novel which I thought was an engaging work of historical fiction.

For the rest of my interview with Shilpa Agarwal, check out my D.C. Literature Examiner page.

Thanks again to Shilpa Agarwal, Soho Press, and TLC Book Tours.  I have 1 copy of Haunting Bombayfor my readers anywhere in the worldTo Enter:

1.  Leave a comment about why you like ghost stories or describe a scary story you heard or told.
2.  Leave a comment on my D.C. Literature Examiner interview and get a second entry.
3.  Tweet, Facebook, or blog about this giveaway and leave a comment.

Deadline is Oct. 16, 2009 at 11:59 PM EST.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins follows up where The Hunger Games (Click here for my review) left off.

In this novel, Katniss discovers that her final act in the arena had unintended consequences and she must now decide whether to run and hide with her loved ones or face a new reality–rebellion.  However, readers may find that the final act in the hunger games is not necessarily the catalyst for the rebellion so much as the Capitol’s unwitting acceptance of her defiance for the rules.

“The smell of roses and blood has grown stronger now that only a desk separates us.  There’s a rose in President Snow’s lapel, which at least suggests a source of the flower perfume, but it must be genetically enhanced, because no real rose reeks like that.”  (Page 20-1)

Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games), like The Hunger Games, is an excellent book club selection for adults given the regime that makes up Panem and the inner workings of the Capitol itself.  From democracy run amok in the Capitol to a dictatorship or totalitarian regime in control of Panem and its districts.  While the totalitarian/dictatorship of the Capitol may not be precise in that President Snow’s manipulative actions run contrary to traditional totalitarian/dictatorship reactions of crushing the enemy and rebellion with an iron fist, readers will have a number of issues to discuss.  However, Collins may not be intentionally shedding light on these political structures, but simply writing dystopian fiction.

“Desperate, yet no longer alone after that day, because we’d found each other.  I think of a hundred moments in the woods, lazy afternoons fishing, the day I taught him to swim, that time I twisted my knee and he carried me home.  Mutually counting on each other, watching each other’s backs, forcing each other to be brave.”  (Page 117)

Katniss, Peeta, Haymitch, and Gale find more action and intrigue in the sequel and must deftly navigate the twisted rules and procedures of their nation to find themselves and freedom.  Katniss, Peeta, and Gale are still in the midst of a young-love romantic triangle, but again the struggles they face against the government take precedence.  More is revealed about Haymitch in this book, which readers will find helpful given his past behavior, but still too little is known about the how the current government came to be and who President Snow really is and how he came to power.

If readers think the mockingjay on the cover is a nice touch, they may soon get sick of the symbol as Collins uses it repeatedly in her narration.  However, its use is not overly bothersome, just a bit overdone. 

Meanwhile, readers will be introduced to new characters, like suave Finnick, unintelligible Mags, and Nuts and Volts, rounding out the cast for some additional suspense, drama, and amusement.  The final scene in the book will leave many in shock, but anxious for the next installment.  Overall, Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games) is a strong middle book to the trilogy.

***As an aside, there’s a quote from the book that should spark some recognition about current environmental concerns in readers, as we struggle to modify our behavior to preserve our resources***

“Where the sand ends, woods begin to rise sharply.  No, not really woods.  At least not the kind I know.  Jungle.  The foreign, almost obsolete word comes to mind.  Something I heard from another Hunger Games or learned from my father.”  (Page 274-5)

Also Reviewed By:
Lou’s Pages 
Dreadlock Girl 

A Match for Mary Bennet by Eucharista Ward

Eucharista Ward O.S.F.’s A Match for Mary Bennet: Can a serious young lady ever find her way to love? is delightful and reminiscent of the regency craftswoman Jane Austen herself.  The novel’s pace is dead on, unfurling Mary Bennet’s character slowly, allowing readers to sit with her, getting to know her mind, her choices and motivations, and her true heart’s desire.

“‘I fell asleep in Inferno, and the candle went out.  I awoke in Purgatorio.  But all the light is on now.  I have found Paradiso.'” (Page 323 of ARC)

With her older sisters, Jane and Elizabeth married to Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy, and her youngest sister, Lydia, married off to Mr. Wickham, Mary and Catherine Bennet are left at home with their meddling mother, eager to marry them off.  Mary continues her ways of sitting alone with her books and her music, content to expand her mind rather than chase after men in society.

“‘You sat so creep mouse in a corner with, of all things, a book! What a way to comport yourself at a dance! Why, you might as well scream to all the world that no man is good enough for you. . . .'” (Page vi of ARC)

Despite her shyness and unconscious judgment of others, Mary comes to learn there is more to life than just books and music, though they certainly enhance her journey and even direct her ultimate place in society.  Readers will revisit with Mr. & Mrs. Darcy and Mr. & Mrs. Bingley following their marriages and how Mary perceives their married lives.  Lydia, Mr. Wickham, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, her daugher, and Kitty Bennet return as well.  But there are new characters to love and dislike from the new pastor Mr. Oliver to the odd Mr. Grantley and the musical Mr. Stilton. 

Ward lives in Austen’s world, manipulates language easily to emulate regency England, and expands the characterizations sketched out in Pride and Prejudice: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) without losing Austen’s vision.  However, Ward’s Mary Bennet is more than the thinly sketched, judgmental, religious, bookworm on the sidelines.  She is observant, knowledgeable, and deeply committed to her family and her faith.  Overall, readers will find A Match for Mary Bennet fills out the other Bennet sisters deftly and makes a perfect addition to any Austen lovers’ collection.

Sourcebooks has kindly offered 1 copy of A Match for Mary Bennet: Can a serious young lady ever find her way to love? by Eucharista Ward O.S.F. for a U.S./Canada reader.  To Enter:

1.  Leave a comment here about why you want to read about Mary Bennet or what your first impressions of her were when you first read Pride & Prejudice.

2.  Blog, Tweet, Facebook, or spread the word about the giveaway and leave me a comment. 

Deadline is October 16, 2009 at 11:59PM EST 

This is my 4th item for the Everything Austen Challenge 2009.

The Woodstock Story Book by Linanne G. Sackett and Barry Z. Levine

The Woodstock Story Book by Linanne G. Sackett and Barry Z. Levine is much more than photographs of the infamous peace concert called Woodstock.  It’s a chronicle of the festival from its inception to its completion.  Levine’s images are immediate, palpable, and candid, while Sackett’s storytelling is clipped, providing only the essential details readers will need to grasp the photos before them.  The foreward, written by Wavy Gravy, discusses the nostalgia he felt after seeing the book in its completion, and he notes that even though the outdoor festival ended, the principals and dreams of Woodstock live on.

“People, who were called freaks because of their hair and their way of dressing, came to Woodstock and they said, ‘Holy smokes.  We’re all freaks’ and they began to embrace that term.  There were a lot of people who opposed the Viet Nam War that thought they were alone.  They looked around and realized that they weren’t alone–that there were a half a million people who felt the same way,” Wavy Gravy says in the book.  (Page 3)

Through poetic lines, The Woodstock Story Book tells a lyrical account of the days leading up to the festival, the struggles with locating a large enough venue, and the community created in just a few days.  The festival’s stages were not even completed before the crowds started arriving.  Check out this crowd shot from Barry Levine’s Web site.

“They Stood for their truth
and pointed out lies

They were accused of
Communist ties”  (Page 40)

The Woodstock Story Book is an essential photographic history of a tumultuous time in our nation’s history.

From my D.C. Literature Examiner preview of the book (check out the full article):

This 40th anniversary, collector’s edition provides readers with a backstage pass to the best outdoor event in our nation’s history.  Even after 40 years, the Woodstock experience in Bethel, New York, between Aug. 15 and Aug. 18, 1969, continues to capture the imagination.

With never-before-seen photos of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jerry Garcia, and more, The Woodstock Story Book tells a chronological story of the music festival that became one of Rolling Stone’s 50 Moments That Changed the History of Rock and Roll.  There are over 300 full-color photographs in this book and are accompanied by humorous descriptions of the festival.  Great for those who remember Woodstock, wished they had been there, or are interested in rock and roll history.

For more information, check out The Woodstock Story Book blog.

Thanks to Lisa Roe at Online Publicist for sending me the book to review.

Mailbox Monday #50

Welcome to another Mailbox Monday, sponsored by Marcia at The Printed Page.

We’re trying to slow down on the number of books accepted, but I can’t stop myself from buying books?!

This week, I didn’t purchase any books, thankfully, but I did get a few in the mail:

1.  The Imperial Cruise by James Bradley from Hatchette for review in late November.

2.  True Compass: A Memoir by Edward M. Kennedy from Hatchette for review; I still cannot believe he is gone, though he had suffered so much in the end.

3.  Evil for Evil by James R. Benn, which is the fourth book in his Billy Boyle WWII Mystery Series, signed by the author and from Author Buzz giveaway.

4.  The Bum Magnet by K.L. Brady signed by the author and for review.  I also received an additional signed copy for an international giveaway, so stay tuned.

What did you get in your mailbox?

15th Virtual Poetry Circle

Don’t forget about the Verse Reviewers link I’m creating here on Savvy Verse & Wit.

Send me an email with your blog information to savvyverseandwit AT gmail DOT com

Sorry we’re a bit late this morning, but book club ran late last night as we discussed Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins.

And now, for the fifteenth edition of the Virtual Poetry Circle:

OK, Here’s a poem up for reactions, interaction, and–dare I say it–analysis:

Remember, this is just for fun and is not meant to be stressful.

Keep in mind what Molly Peacock’s books suggested. Look at a line, a stanza, sentences, and images; describe what you like or don’t like; and offer an opinion. If you missed my review of her book, check it out here.


Today, we’re going to look at a classic poem from Alfred Joyce Kilmer, a poet killed in World War I:

Trees (1913)
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

Let me know your thoughts, ideas, feelings, impressions. Let’s have a great discussion…pick a line, pick an image, pick a sentence.

I’ve you missed the other Virtual Poetry Circles, check them out here. It’s never too late to join the discussion.

Also, don’t forget the giveaways on my blog and others’ blogs, they are posted in the right hand sidebar for your convenience.


Interview With Linda Wisdom

I recently reviewed Hex in High Heels by Linda Wisdom, if you missed the review, click on the link to check it out.  It is the fourth book in her paranormal, romance series.

Today, Linda took time out of her schedule to answer a few interview questions on her tour stop with Sourcebooks.  Let’s give her a warm welcome.

What inspired you to write about sassy witches? 

They chose me. I used to hear “write dark edgy vampires” and my muse said “not for you”. Shapeshifters didn’t pop, but Jazz did. And the minute she entered my imagination I knew, just like Goldilocks in that third bed, that this was just right. To this day, I haven’t felt as if this was a wrong decision.

Have you always been interested in the paranormal and have you had a paranormal experience?

Yes, I have. I wrote my first paranormal romance in the late 80s and a few others after that and knew there was more in my future. As for paranormal experiences, I’ve had a few. We have a house ghost who likes to take things and we had something dark in the back yard several years ago that I still don’t like to think about! 

Could you describe a typical writing day for you and what helps you punch through writer’s block?

After I’ve had enough caffeine to feel human, I check my email, see if there’s anything that needs immediate attention and check any blogs I’m on that day. Then I pull up my book file and write. I refuse to stare at my screen when I’m blocked. I shut off the computer for an hour or so. Sometimes do something around the house or I go out. There’s been many a time that ideas flow when I’m driving around.

Do you read books in the genre you write or could you name some of the most recent books you’ve read that you enjoyed?  

Definitely. I recently finished Victoria Laurie’s Doom with a View, Wendy Roberts latest. 

Some writers have obsessions or listen to music while writing.  Do you have similar obsessions and what are some of your favorite groups or bands? 

For me it’s movies. I watch all genres and it depends on my moods. For music it’s Celtic and golden oldies. I tend to change playlists according to the witch I’m writing at the time. Maggie, my present witch, leans toward Zydeco. 

If you were a witch with magical powers, what spell would you love to conjure and why? 

Oh, the power! I’d want to snap my fingers and see the house magickally cleaned. And I’m talking all corners, grout, high places, and top of the refrigerator. :} Anything else I’m fine with, but I’d sure love to have a clean house in the wink of an eye.  

Sourcebooks is offering 1 U.S. or Canadian reader a copy of Hex in High Heels and Wicked by Any Other Name by Linda Wisdom as a set to 1 winner.  

To Enter:

1.  Leave a comment on this post about an interview highlight.
2.  Leave a comment on my review of Hex in High Heels and leave me a comment here.
3.  Blog, Tweet, Facebook this giveaway and leave me a comment.

Deadline is Oct. 9, 2009, 11:59PM EST.


Hex in High Heels by Linda Wisdom

Linda Wisdom‘s Hex in High Heels is a fun novel that will have readers giggling and becoming inspired to use their own magical revenge spells.

“Horace bounced up and down in his excitement as he met Blair and Stasi at the kitchen door.  ‘Let me tell you, wolf shit smells really bad when it’s set on fire.  I put bags outside of every door, so they got it everywhere.  That Roan dude was royally pissed, too.  And I left a bag at the end of one of the ski runs and someone ran right into it!’ he chortled.  ‘Talk about brown skid marks,’ he snickered.” (Page 232 of ARC)

Blair is a a hot-headed, sexy small-town witch with fiery locks who just happens to have the hots for a shape-shifting Were Border Collie outcast, Jake Harrison.  Her roommate, Stasi (short for Anastasia) Romanov, own a pair of shops and a great deal of land, including a lake.  While Stasi sells lingerie and romance novels, Blair sells a variety of antiques with each day bringing in a new theme, ranging from the roaring 20s to WWII.

Their quaint life is interrupted when Jake’s former Pack moves in on the witches’ land and attempts to bring him back into the fold.  With help from a gargoyle sidekick named Horace, ghosts, and their other friends, the Were Pack runs into some trouble.

“Her squeak came out louder than expected.  She turned to the front of the room and took a longer look.  ‘Oh boy, you’re right — that’s one powerful Were up there, and I don’t think he’s a Werepoodle, either.'” (Page 68 of ARC)

Wisdom’s characters are quirky and outlandish, but the magic is in the fun these characters have with one another and when battling common enemies.  Readers who have not read paranormal romance before should be cautioned that there are detailed sex scenes in this novel and reality will have to be suspended.  Readers looking for some light reading and just a good deal of fun, Hex in High Heels is for you this Halloween.

Stay tuned for my interview with Linda Wisdom and a giveaway on Oct. 2, 2009.

Also Reviewed by:
Book Chick City

 Check out the rest of the Linda Wisdom Tour:

October 1
Yankee Romance Reviewers Guest Blog
http://yankeeromancereviewers.blogspot.com/
October 2 Savvy Verse & Wit Interview http://www.savvyverseandwit.com/
Fresh Fiction Guest Blog http://www.freshfiction.com
(weekend)
October 5 (open)
October 6 Long & Short of It Guest Blog http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/
Night Owl Romance Guest Blog 2 (recurring appearances throughout the month) http://nightowlromanceblog.blogspot.com/
October 7 Anna’s Book Blog Guest Blog http://annavivian.blogspot.com/
October 8 Midnight Café http://midnightmooncafe.blogspot.com/  
October 9 Bitten By Books Guest Blog http://bittenbybooks.com
(weekend)
October 12 Star-Crossed Romance Guest Blog http://www.star-crossedromance.blogspot.com/
October 13 Literary Escapism Interview http://www.literaryescapism.com/
Peeking Between the Pages Guest Blog http://peekingbetweenthepages.blogspot.com/
October 14 Drey’s Library Interview http://dreyslibrary.blogspot.com/
Night Owl Romance Guest Blog 2 http://nightowlromanceblog.blogspot.com/
October 15 A Journey of Books Guest Blog http://ajourneyofbooks.blogspot.com
October 16 Love Romance Passion http://www.loveromancepassion.com/
(weekend)
October 19 So Many Books Guest Blog http://purplg8r-somanybooks.blogspot.com
October 20 Pop Syndicate Interview http://www.popsyndicate.com
Night Owl Romance Guest Blog 3 http://nightowlromanceblog.blogspot.com/
October 21 Cheryl’s Book Nook Guest Blog http://nightowlromanceblog.blogspot.com/
October 22 Wendy’s Minding Spot Guest Blog http://mindingspot.blogspot.com/
October 23 Fang-tastic Books Guest Blog www.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
(weekend)
October 26 Night Owl Romance Guest Blog 4 http://nightowlromanceblog.blogspot.com/

Apologies to an Apple by Maya Ganesan

Apologies to an Apple by Maya Ganesan is a breath of fresh air in contemporary poetry.  At eleven years old, Maya has a crisp style and is very observant and critical.  Her poems do not criticize overtly, like some poets that tend to hammer their messages home.

“They see the horizon, a smoky gold line
over the sea,
and call it names like faraway and
we’ll-never-reach-there.
To them,
horizon is a dream” (From Ash-Colored, pg. 10)

In these simple lines, the narrator observes the horizon in terms of what it means, its location, and how it is perceived by others.  It is an unattainable destination or a dream.

Maya uses short lines to let readers examine the images and statements and discern their own meaning–the greater meaning.  Readers will be reminded of William Carlos Williams‘ short lines, but Ganesan’s work holds a veiled innocence.  For such a young age, Ganesan has an old soul with a great deal of wisdom.  Some of these poems will make readers blush with their self-imposed innuendo.

A Message for You (Page 21)

I have traced your name
with
my finger

on the steamy
glass doors surrounding
the shower.

Readers will find poems to treasure, to savor, and to hold close to their hearts in this slim volume.  As a debut book of poetry, it stands tall among a vast crowd, waiting for readers to hear its whisper.

Yesterday (Page 24)

Yesterday is one book,
today is another.

Different books, telling
different stories.

I like to be part of 
both yesterday and
today, falling out of

one, tipped into
the other.

Her poem, September, was recently showcased in this past weekend’s Virtual Poetry Circle.  Readers enjoyed how the narrator speaks of trees as having souls and feelings.  It is a great commentary on how little we pay attention to the environment and its importance.

Susan at ColorOnline let me borrow her signed copy of Ganesan’s work for this review, though I did first read about this poetry book on 5-Squared.  I’m going to have to get my hands on another copy for myself.

Also Reviewed By:

5-Squared
Book of Kells
ReadWritePoem (also has a list of virtual tour sites for the book)

4th book for the poetry review challenge.


Interview With Cathy Marie Buchanan

I already reviewed The Day the Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan earlier in September for the Amazon Vine Program; click on the link for my full review. After posting my review, I discovered Buchanan was on a blog tour for her book.

I was happy to learn that she would answer a few questions and sponsor a book giveaway for my readers and its international. Please give Cathy Marie Buchanan a warm welcome.
1. Was the main character Bess modeled on the real wife of William “Red” Hill, whom the character of Tom Cole is based? Or is she based upon yourself or people you know?
 
(Please see the following photo provided by Cathy Marie Buchanan, courtesy of the Niagara Falls (Ontario) Public Library): “Red Hill Junior moments before his fateful plunge”

In the very first bit of The Day the Falls Stood Still that I wrote−it’s long since been scrapped−Bess was an old woman, bitter and hateful of the river. I’d conjured her up from the little I knew of Red Hill’s wife, who was quoted as saying she hated the river, that she was afraid of it. 

In addition to being a hero, Red Hill was a daredevil. He risked his life shooting the Whirlpool Rapids in a barrel three times. In 1951 the eldest of the couple’s sons died attempting to go over the falls in a barrel constructed of inflated rubber tubes, canvas and fishing nets, and another son was killed in an accident in a hydroelectric diversion tunnel under the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario. 

Clearly, she had cause to hate the river. She is where I started with Bess Heath, but once I decided not to incorporate the daredevil side of Red Hill into Tom Cole−that his reverence for the river would run too high for that−Bess evolved into the strong, intelligent, supportive woman I hope readers find in between the covers of the book.

2. What prompted the inclusion of the mock newspaper articles? Was that your idea or something the publisher wanted to include?

I have to give my clever U.S. editor, Sarah Landis, credit for the idea of incorporating the newspaper articles. After reading an earlier version of the manuscript, Sarah came back with the comment that she wanted to know more about Niagara’s fascinating lore and suggested that newspaper articles might be an interesting way of adding more of the stories.


3. For a debut novel, The Day The Falls Stood Still, is incredibly stunning. Niagara Falls is a great location for this emotionally charged story. Do you have plans to write additional books in this setting?

Born and bred in Niagara Falls, I grew up awash in an endless stream of local lore─the Maid of the Mist and her canoe, Sir Isaac Brock and the War of 1812, Blondin and his tightrope, Annie Taylor and her barrel, William “Red” Hill and his daring rescues, Sir Adam Beck and hydroelectricity, Roger Woodward and the miracle at Niagara.  

With such a storied past and the staggering beauty of the falls themselves, it’s tough to definitively say that I won’t write about the area again. Still, I think I’ve told the story I wanted to tell about Niagara Falls. I’m currently working on a story set in and around the Paris Opera in the 1880s.

4. Most writers are readers. Name five of the last books you read and enjoyed. 

 

I discovered Donna Morrissey this year, first reading What They Wanted. I loved it, and I loved Sylvanus Now, too. No one does the Newfoundlander voice like Morrissey. No one makes you feel the feral beauty of Newfoundland in quite the same way. Another favourite was Laura Moriarty’s While I’m Falling. I happened to be reading it when Elle came out with its September reader’s picks, books that were subsequently pitted against one another in a reader vote. 

I was thrilled to find The Day the Falls Stood Still included in the picks, particularly considering that the other two books on the list were new novels by former Grand Prix Book-of-the-Year winners. My book came in a very close second to While I’m Falling, the very book I was savouring. 

The most recent book to knock my socks off was Elizabeth Strout’s Olive Kitteridge, a collection of linked stories. In every story, she shows a remarkable understanding of human nature. Over the years I’ve read loads of books to my boys. The book that most stands out from the last year is John Boyne’s The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. I read it with my eleven-year-old, and I think we loved it equally.

Photo Credit: Nigel Dickson

5. You hold a BSc (Honours Biochemistry) and an MBA from the University of Western Ontario. What was the turning point in your life that prompted you to write novels and short stories?

I spent my teenage years disgracing myself in English, often getting upwards of 20 percent deducted for spelling mistakes on high school English exams. When it came time to head off to university, I picked my courses using the criteria that I wouldn’t have to write−that is spell−a single thing. Hence, the BSc and MBA. 

I spent the bulk of my non-writing work life at IBM. By then spell-check had been invented, and I took a night school creative writing course, on a whim really. I was smitten, and soon enough I wanted more time to write than that tiny gap that existed between scrubbing my children clean and falling into bed myself. I quit my corporate job and have been writing five days a week while my boys are at school ever since.

I hope you enjoyed the interview with Cathy Marie Buchanan and learning about Niagara Falls.  Please check out the book trailer.

Also, check out the Sept. 30, 2009, teleseminar for the end of Cathy Marie Buchanan’s Virtual Book Tour:

  • What: Going Over the Falls: A Telephone Chat With Cathy Marie Buchanan
  • When: 3:00 pm EST on September 30th
  • Who: Anyone who is interested
  • How: Just dial telephone number 718-290-9983, and enter conference ID code 100925# when promted.  Free, except for normal long distance charges.
  • More info:  http://overthefalls.eventbrite.com/

***Here’s the audio clip link of the teleseminar.***

Hyperion Books and Cathy Marie Buchanan have offered 1 copy of The Day the Falls Stood Still to one lucky reader of my blog anywhere in the world.

To Enter:

1.  Leave a comment on this interview about what you found most interesting.
2.  Leave a comment on the book review and let me know on this post.
3.  Tweet, Blog, Facebook, or spread the word and leave me a link or comment on this post.

Deadline is October 9, 2009, 11:59PM EST.


Where I answer 20 Questions. . .

Rebecca at Lost in Books has a great new feature called 20 questions. 

If you missed my appearance on Sept. 22, you best check it out!

Also, stay tuned for my review of the National Book Festival and the Baltimore Book Festival.


Sara Angelini Speaks About Writing

Sara Angelini, author of The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy, is stopping by the blog today to discuss writing. If you missed my review of her novel, check it out. Also stay tuned for a giveaway of her novel.

They say the first rule of writing is to write what you know. In my first book, The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy (a modern adaptation of Pride and Prejudice), that’s exactly what I did.

Like my Elizabeth Bennett, I am a young attorney who works in San Francisco and drives a MINI Cooper. I have had my share of encounters with cranky judges. What’s that, you say? Well, er, no, I didn’t actually meet a swoonfully handsome judge, romp around England with him while engaging in hot monkey sex, break up and make up, and strut myself down the aisle with him. Not precisely. Maybe I fudged that part a bit. So sue me. I dare you. *grin*

Aside from the obvious parallels of an attorney writing a story about an attorney, my job influenced my writing in a more roundabout way. You see, I already write a tremendous amount for my job. I write letters, memos, briefs, and appeals on a daily basis. Unfortunately, legal writing is challenging, technical, and mind-numbingly tedious. When I go home at the end of the day, I want to unwind with something light and fluffy.

Enter Pride and Prejudice 1995 and Colin Firth. After a rainy weekend of repeatedly rewinding “In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you,” followed by fast-forwarding to that dreamy Pemberley gaze (you know the one I’m talking about!), I found myself randomly perusing the interwebs in search of completely unwholesome, empty-calorie Colin Firth brain candy.

Apparently, Colin Firth is the Willy Wonka of Jane Austen Fanfic Candyland. I found a virtual sweetshop chock-full of red-hots, dark chocolates, savory caramels, and even nut-filled nougats. Some stories were discarded after the first bite, some were set aside to savor after dinner, but mostly I gorged like a five-year old on his first Halloween binge. And like said five-year old, I felt mighty sick on Monday morning.

After the initial sugar rush had worn off, I discovered that most of what I was reading on the internet was, well, not very good. I found myself rolling my eyes at plot foibles or gnashing my teeth at ridiculous character inconsistencies. I muttered under my breath “Had I ever learned to write romance, I would have been a true proficient!” Convinced of my own genius, I decided to give it a whirl.

I of course found that writing romance was easier said than done; I started off with a Regency that was rife with purple prose and stiff dialogue. I hacked out a paranormal short story (which is still close to my heart) but wanted to do something meatier. That’s when I remembered the golden rule of writing: write what you know. I sure as hell didn’t know Regency, so I decided that it would have to be a modern re-telling of Pride and Prejudice.

What could I write that would do justice to Jane Austen’s creation while being true to myself? How could Darcy and Elizabeth translate to modern characters? If Regency mores about intermingling social circles and pre-marital sex are no longer relevant, where would the conflict arise?

In Pride and Prejudice, the main conflict is the practically unbridgeable social gulf between Elizabeth and Darcy, which is not relevant in today’s world. How could I write an appealing Darcy who remained aloof and reserved in a world where social circles overlap and mix freely? How? HOW??

Ahem.

Go back to what you know. Lawyers are bound by a strict code of ethics. Really. All lawyer jokes aside, ethics is a big deal to the legal community. We’re well aware of our reputation as cold-blooded, unblinking, cartilage-skeletoned sharks. We try hard to be nice. Ever see a shark try to smile? It ain’t pretty. But I digress…

A character like Darcy (proud, rigid, but with a good moral compass) would make a perfect contemporary judge. From there, it all fell into place. A courtroom romance would create an ethical violation with very real, possibly career-ending, consequences. The struggle to resist temptation, and to ultimately give in to that temptation, provided the conflict. The characters’ willingness to compromise provided the resolution. And Lou Hurst provided the comic relief.

Satisfied with my original idea for Judge Darcy, I took another gander at Jane’s (yes, I was now on a first name basis with her) Pride and Prejudice. And there, on page 94 of my annotated version, Miss Bingley says to Darcy:

“Do let the portraits of your uncle and aunt Phillips be placed in the gallery at Pemberley. Put them next to your great uncle the judge.”

Aw, shit.

Oh well, I went with the idea anyway, and The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy was the result. Thank you, Ms. Austen.

Does your job influence what you read or write?

Thank you Sara for stopping by the blog today. Sourcebooks is offering my U.S. and Canadian readers a chance to win 1 copy of Sara Angelini’s The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy.

To Enter:

1. Leave a comment on this post telling me what part of this guest post you enjoyed most.

2. Leave a comment on my review and leave a comment here that you did so.

3. Blog, Tweet, or Facebook this giveaway and leave me a link.

Deadline is October 9, 2009 at 11:59 PM EST

Check out the rest of the blog tour here:

September 24

The Good, The Bad, The Unread Guest Blog

http://goodbadandunread.com

September 25

Romance Junkies Guest Blog

http://romancejunkies.com/

(weekend)



September 28

Savvy Verse & Wit Guest Blog

http://www.savvyverseandwit.com/

September 29

Yankee Romance Reviewers

http://yankeeromancereviewers.blogspot.com/

September 30

Pop Culture Nerd Guest Blog

http://popculturenerd.wordpress.com/

October 1

A Journey of Books Guest Blog

http://ajourneyofbooks.blogspot.com

October 2

Fallen Angel Reviews Guest Blog

http://fallenangelreviews.com/

(weekend)



October 5

The Long & Short of It Reviews Guest Blog

http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/

October 6

Love Romance Passion Guest Blog

http://www.loveromancepassion.com/

October 7

The Serenity Gate Interview

http://theserenityroom.blogspot.com/

October 8

A Bibliophile’s Bookshelf Guest Blog

http://www.abibliophile.com

October 9

Books and Needlepoint Interview

http://booksandneedlepoint.blogspot.com

(weekend)



October 13

Books Like Breathing

http://bibliophile23.wordpress.com/

October 14

Romance Reader at Heart’s Novel Thoughts

http://novelthoughts.wordpress.com/

October 15

Fresh Fiction Guest Blog

http://www.freshfiction.com

October 16

Booking Mama Guest Blog

http://bookingmama.blogspot.com/