Blog, Page 380

Brooke Morgan Talks About Writing and Her Move to England

January 28, 2010 by Serena

Brooke Morgan is the author of Tainted (click for my review), which is a suspenseful novel about love, loss, and familial bonds. For a chance to win a copy of her book, please visit the review and comment. The giveaway is international! Also, for an additional entry, please comment on this post.

Please give Brooke a warm welcome:

Having moved to London, I’m slightly surprised to find that in many ways I have become more American than I already was. English people can sometimes be casually dismissive about Americans and their lack of history, which is irritating; but worse, I can guarantee that in some point during a conversation with an English person, that person will always say “Americans have no sense of irony.” To which I always reply, bristling, “Go watch an episode of Frasier.”

Writing Tainted as I sat at my desk in my house in Hammersmith was an exercise in time travel. Because I set the novel in a Cape Cod town not unlike the one I used to spend every summer in; I admit I wallowed in the feeling of being back home. And to help me, I hung pictures on my study wall — watercolor paintings and aerial photos of that area of the Cape. Plus old snapshots of my family on the beach.

These were visual aids, definitely, but I could also close my eyes and just plain remember. And that nostalgia trip was part of the pleasure of writing Tainted.

Henry, one of the characters in the book, is modeled on my Uncle Sam. Which was fine until Henry gets into big trouble – it was such a real scene to me that when I finished it, I had to pick up the telephone on my desk and wake him up at six in the morning his time to make sure he was all right.

When you relocate to another country, you lose your past. It’s impossible to turn to someone and say: “Remember when?” because they don’t. One of the great advantages of being a writer is to bring that past into the present and live it every day as you write. It’s a great cure for homesickness and a lot cheaper than a whole load of Transatlantic airline tickets.

Thanks, Brooke, for taking the time to share with us your writing and cultural experiences.

Deadline for the giveaway is Jan. 29, 2010!

FTC Disclosure: Clicking on image or title links will lead to my Amazon Affiliate page; No purchase necessary, though appreciated.

Filed Under: guest post Tagged With: Brooke Morgan

Winners of Shanghai Girls

January 28, 2010 by Serena

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See generated a lot of interest, but Random.org selected 2 winners.

Amanda18228

and

Denny, Alaska

Thanks to all who entered. I hope you enjoy the book.

Filed Under: winners

Clover, Bee & Reverie: A Poetry Challenge

January 27, 2010 by Serena

Regular Rumination is hosting another poetry reading challenge, Clover, Bee & Reverie: A Poetry Challenge, which will run between now and the end of the year. Additionally, participants are not restricted by time period and can read any poetry from Emily Dickinson to more contemporary poetry from the likes of John Amen.

What will I be reading? Not sure yet, but I do have 3-4 must-read contemporary collections in mind for this challenge. You’ll just have to wait and see what else I come with as time goes on.

1. The Wrong Miracle by Liz Gallagher
2. The Guilt Gene by Diana Raab
3. Your Ten Favorite Words by Reb Livingston, which will be the book club selection for my stint on Linus’s Blanket’s That’s How I Blog! on Tuesday, April 13, 2010. I hope you will join us.
4. Questions of Fire by Gregg Mosson

Consider joining in the fun, expanding your poetry reading horizons!

FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title links or images will bring you to my Amazon Affiliate page; No purchase necessary.

Filed Under: 2010 Clover Bee and Reverie Poetry Challenge, challenges

Zombie Haiku by Ryan Mecum

January 26, 2010 by Serena

Ryan Mecum’s Zombie Haiku is another fun volume of loose-form haiku, like his recent publication Vampire Haiku (click for my review). In the initial pages, readers learn that the journal is that of Chris Lynch, and the initial haiku spotlight the beauty of nature coupled with Polaroid images and are interspersed with comments from Lynch about his impending death and transformation.

The bird flew away
with more than just my bread crumbs.
He took my sorrow. (Page 2)

Readers see first hand the spread of the zombies throughout the city and how they stagger after their latest victims. Finally, Lynch is attacked himself, bleeding to death from a hole in his neck, before turning into the beings he sees taking over the human race. Struggling with his transformation, he writes haiku about his love for his mother, and the strength he feels even as he withers and becomes a cannibal.

My lungs slow and stop
and I can’t find my heartbeat
but I’m still hungry. (Page 30)

With his jaw snapped off
he can’t bite into people,
which means more for me. (Page 66)

Readers may find that some haiku are not as well formed as others, but that may be because zombies have a mostly one-track mind — brains or eating brains. Overall, Zombie Haiku is not as engaging as Vampire Haiku was, though in small doses the haiku can be amusing.

I’m counting this as my 12th book for the poetry reading challenge.

FTC Disclosure: I purchased my copy of Zombie Haiku by Ryan Mecum. Clicking on title links or images will bring you to my Amazon Affiliate page; No purchase necessary.

Filed Under: 2009-10 Valparaiso Poetry Review, poetry, purchased, Read in 2010, reviews Tagged With: Ryan Mecum, Zombie Haiku

Mailbox Monday #66

January 25, 2010 by Serena

Marcia at The Printed Page and Kristi of The Story Siren both sponsor memes in which bloggers share what books they’ve received in the past week. I’m going to continue calling these Mailbox Mondays, but The Story Siren also has In My Mailbox.

1. Beatles Rock Band for Wii! I won this at Presenting Lenore; if you haven’t checked out her blog, you should. Pictures are forthcoming…

2. Venom by Joan Brady, which I received from Book Chick City as a participant in her 2010 Thriller & Suspense Reading Challenge and it is a U.K. title.

3. City of Refuge by Tom Piazza, which I received from Jen at Devourer of Books for her Feb. 16 appearance on That’s How I Blog, which will feature a 20 minute book club discussion of this book!

4. Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann, which is for TLC Book Tour in May.

And two holdovers from the last mailbox; both I purchased with gift card money:

5. Zombie Haiku by Ryan Mecum

6. Birthing House (audio) by Christopher Ransom, this is the latest book club selection.

What did you get in your mailbox?

FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page; No purchase necessary, though appreciated.

Filed Under: mailbox monday

29th Virtual Poetry Circle

January 23, 2010 by Serena

It’s the 29th Virtual Poetry Circle, and it’s time to revisit a classic poet, but before we do that, I wanted to thank everyone who has participated in this project thus far. Feel free to spread the word.

Additionally, you should start noticing some small changes here on the blog, including possible article suggests at the end of my posts (Thanks Bloggiesta for calling this widget to my attention) and some share buttons, which I’m not overly thrilled with, but they’ll do for now.

I would also love to get a new three-column template that meshes better with my header, so if anyone would like to volunteer, please email me.

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.

Why Should a Foolish Marriage Vow
by John Dryden

Why should a foolish marriage vow, 
  Which long ago was made,
Oblige us to each other now
  When passion is decay'd?
We loved, and we loved, as long as we could,
  Till our love was loved out in us both:
But our marriage is dead, when the pleasure is fled:
  'Twas pleasure first made it an oath.

If I have pleasures for a friend,
  And farther love in store,
What wrong has he whose joys did end,
  And who could give no more?
'Tis a madness that he should be jealous of me,
Or that I should bar him of another:
For all we can gain is to give our selves pain,
When neither can hinder the other.

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.

Filed Under: virtual poetry circle

Tainted by Brooke Morgan

January 22, 2010 by Serena

Brooke Morgan’s debut novel, Tainted, is a thrill ride in a small, shoreline town in Massachusetts — Shoreham — as Holly Barrett meets the man of her dreams on a bus. Jack Dane is dashing, charming, and British — an accent to die for — but there is something below the surface that is not so inviting.

“Tell your heart lies enough times and it will fashion them into the truth.” (Page 34)

Holly’s had a tough youth from getting pregnant at a young age to losing her parents and struggling as a single parent. Jack swoops in and casts a spell that she is unwilling to break, despite the objections of her family and friends and only knowing him for about three weeks. Morgan’s writing is upfront and engaging, though at times chapters shift from the point of view of Holly, her five-year old daughter, her grandfather, and others.

“‘Jesus, Holl. You’re traveling faster than the speed of love.'” (Page 106)

Readers will eat up these pages, trying to uncover Jack’s dark secrets, while at the same time wishing they could shake Holly into her right mind. At times, Holly is very naive about Jack and moves too quickly into a relationship, which can be attributed to her inexperience with men and her self-imposed isolation. However, there are a number of occasions where Holly sees clear red flags in Jack’s behavior and chooses to ignore them, reminiscent of abused women. Morgan’s debut novel is a solid thriller with many twists and turns that will have some readers guessing until the very end.

To enter this INTERNATIONAL giveaway for 1 copy of Tainted by Brooke Morgan:

1. Leave a comment on this review.
2. Blog, Tweet, Facebook, or otherwise spread the word about the giveaway.
3. Comment on the guest post.

Deadline is Jan. 29, 2010, at 11:59PM EST

About the Author:

Brooke Morgan is a Bostonian who now lives in London with her two children. Tainted is her first novel.

If you are interested in Tainted, you should check out the rest of the TLC Book Tour.

This is my 5th book for the 2010 New Authors Challenge.

I’m considering this for my 2nd book, a romantic thriller, for the 2010 Thriller & Suspense Reading Challenge.

FTC Disclosure: Thanks to TLC Book Tours, HarperCollins, and Brooke Morgan for sending me a free copy of Tainted for review. Clicking on image or title links will lead to my Amazon Affiliate page; No purchase necessary, though appreciated.

Filed Under: 2010 Thriller and Suspense Reading Challenge, fiction, giveaway, New Authors Challenge, Read in 2010, review copy, reviews, tlc book tours Tagged With: Brooke Morgan, Tainted

Vietnam War Reading Challenge Update, and More

January 21, 2010 by Serena

War Through the Generations is now focused on Vietnam War-related reading.

And we had a guest post from Shannon of After the Fire Came a Gentle Whisper about her feelings on Vietnam War literature and what it means to her. If you haven’t checked out the guest post, you should. It just might inspire you to join us this year. You should also check out Shannon’s blog.

Some participants are so on the ball, they’ve already started sending us their review links; check out the first few reviews — My Detachment by Tracy Kidder and In the Lake of the Woods by Tim O’Brien. Other book review links will appear on the Vietnam War Book Reviews page as well as on the main blog pages. There are many more reviews from participants filtering in, but right now we’re staggering those posts.

If you have any guest post ideas that you’d like to run by us, feel free to email Email Us.

Finally, the winners among the WWII Reading Challenge Participants have been announced. Interested in seeing who they are? Check out the list.

Filed Under: announcements, Vietnam War Challenge 2010

FreeVerse: Copper Peaches by Serena M. Agusto-Cox

January 20, 2010 by Serena

Every Wednesday, Ooh. . .Books! hosts FreeVerse where participants share their favorite poems with readers. Thanks to Cara for hosting FreeVerse.

Today, I thought I would share a poem I had published many years ago in Beginnings Magazine.

Copper Peaches

Slipped through my fingers,
brown without rainbow dye,
they are brittle and become dust in hand.

An empty peach hourglass.

The chill was sharper than
an ax on a grinding wheel.
Sunlight seeped through cracks,
set these dead leaves afire.

Dark green canopies shelter my way-
deeper behind the farmhouse.
Sunlight sparkles on wrinkled foil,
Caesar’s victory crown, still
untouched.
The blustery wind blows,
dries their skin,
stings my lungs.
They sway clumsily in the draft,
so weighted, they fall.
Ballerinas in Swan Lake
skate across glazed ice
lighter than parchment, but
heavier than air.
Rest upon the ground
bruised from impact and careless trampling
Swiss cheese foil
bronzed and useless for wrapping.

I’ve walked down this wooded way
lined with pine guards armed with sharp needles.
Carelessly treading on crisp rice
echoing pain in the shade.

What do you think? Have you shared a poem with your readers today?

Filed Under: FreeVerse, meme, poetry Tagged With: Copper Peaches, Serena M. Agusto-Cox

International Winner of When She Flew

January 20, 2010 by Serena

It took a while to get there, but we finally have an international winner for a copy of When She Flew by Jennie Shortridge.

Gautami of Everything Distils Into Reading

I hope she enjoys the book. I know I did.

If you missed my review, check it out here.

FTC Disclosure: Clicking on image and title links will bring you to my Amazon Affiliate page; No purchase required, though appreciated.