Literature and Poetry Reviews, Home of the Virtual Poetry Circle
I just wanted to let everyone know that A winner was selected for The Hypnotist by M.J. Rose giveaway, which also included this cool phoenix pin.
Out of 14 entrants, random.org selected #3, Ziblee of Raging Bibliomania.
Congrats. I’ve sent you an email.
Sweta Srivastava Vikram‘s Because All Is Not Lost is a new chapbook of poems about grief and recovery. While recovering from grief is never the same for everyone, these poems speak to the void that death can leave.
“One day she will stop/digging up maggots of loss/breeding in her memory.//” (From Convalescence, page 18)
Vikram uses simple imagery and encapsulated stories to illustrate grief and the possible reactions to loss. In the introduction, the poets explains her inspiration for the collection, the deaths of her grandfather and her mother’s sister. The collection is sad and weighs heavily on the reader, and readers should consider taking each poem in separately to absorb their meaning. However, there are rays of hope within the poems.
From A permanent address, “Flood of affection is what I get from her -/jasmine flowers mixed with olive and a soft kiss// of assurance. She whispers/that it was a recurring nightmare./That I was safe” (page 20)
Because All Is Not Lost is a chapbook that will affect readers like no other poetry collection. Readers will be absorbed by the grief and the glimmers of light as the narrators deal with emptiness and blame.
***Thanks to the poet Sweta Srivastava Vikram for sending me a copy for review***
Now for the global giveaway; 2 copies up for grabs:
1. Leave a comment about a moment of loss you’ve felt and how you dealt with it.
2. Blog, Facebook, or Tweet this giveaway and leave a link here.
Deadline Aug. 27, 2010, at 11:59 PM EST
This is my 10th book for the Clover Bee & Reverie Poetry Challenge.
This is my 41st book for the 2010 New Authors Reading Challenge.
The Hypnotist by M.J. Rose is the third book in the Reincarnationist series and FBI Lucian Glass remains on the trail of Dr. Malachai Samuels.
Reincarnation and the use of memory tools to reach deep into past lives reappears in this novel, alongside the use of hypnosis. Glass is recovering from injuries sustained in The Memorist (If you missed my review of book 2, The Memorist, please check it out.), but he’s not eager to sit out the investigation on the sidelines. In Vienna, he’s accosted while looking at the only translation of a list of memory tools, which would surely entice Samuels.
But there are other mysteries to be solved beyond who steals the list. The Iranian government is eager to get its hands on a sculpture of Hypnos, even if it means court battles and other underhanded means. Lucian’s past also resurfaces when a painting stolen from a framing shop where his girlfriend worked reappears more than 20 years later slashed to bits.
“Young and handsome, with sensitive eyes, sensuous lips and a finely wrought nose, his bone structure was elegant and the expression on his face was both sultry and serene . . . as if he was slipping into a dream himself.” (Page 105)
M.J. Rose carefully crafts a variety of characters and weaves in several story lines, while maintaining suspense and drama. Not only are their mysteries to solve and memory tools to find, but Lucian must find himself and reconcile his past lives in order to move beyond the 20-year ball of pain he’s carried in his chest. Overall, The Hypnotist is a fast-paced, absorbing read that will keep you on the edge of your seat this summer, but this thriller is a thinking-person’s game. Can you solve the mysteries before FBI agent Glass? The only way to find out is to pick up your copy or enter this giveaway!
About the Author:
M.J. Rose is the internationally bestselling author of several novels and two non-fiction books on marketing. Check out her website, follow her on Twitter, and on Facebook. Check out a 100-page sampler from the Reincarnationist series.
The television series Past Life was based on Rose’s Reincarnationist series. The real stories about how she was inspired to write each book in this series as well as the knowledge she has about reincarnation and the art world make Rose an interesting and compelling blog guest. She’d love to visit.
Giveaway Details: 1 copy of The Hypnotist and a phoenix pin (US/Canada)
1. Leave a comment on this post about whether you believe in reincarnation or not and why?
2. Don’t forget to leave a way for me to contact you.
3. Blog, Tweet, Facebook, etc. and leave me a link for an additional entry.
Deadline is August 13, 2010, 11:59 PM EST
This is my 13th book for the 2010 Thriller & Suspense Reading Challenge.
Thanks to M.J. Rose, Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc., and TLC Book Tours for sending me a copy of The Hypnotist for review.
Out of 20 entrants, random.org selected #3
Colleen (Books in the City), who said:
“My Mom is from Ireland and I spent many childhood summers on the West Coast of Ireland in Co. Mayo – would definitely go back there and see family and friends – I never go back to Ireland without going to Mayo. But I went to Kerry for the first time last summer and was captivated – I definitely want to go back there!”
Congrats and Happy Reading!
And since only 3 people entered the 50th Virtual Poetry Circle giveaway, they each get a book! One of you will get a surprise thanks to random.org, since there were 4 books up for grabs. Congrats to the following:
Anna from Diary of an Eccentric
J.T. Oldfield from Bibliofreak
Jill from Rhapsody in Books
Out of 13 entrants, Random.org selected #11
Sandra of Fresh Ink Books said, “I’m disabled but I live directly across from a park where everyone walks their pets. So every day, Frodo (my white English Bull Terrier with black eye patch) sits with me and watches the world and their furry friends go by, or even stop by to say hello. It’s perfect for both of us.
I’m not usually one for animal stories but I love this cover and story subject so much I really want to read it.”
Congrats!
I recently read and reviewed The Lace Makers of Glenmara by Heather Barbieri, and TLC Book Tours and Harper Collins are offering 1 copy for a giveaway.
U.S. and Canadian residents only are eligible.
Deadline is July 17, 2010, at 11:00 PM EST.
1. Leave a comment about what place(s) you’d visit in Ireland.
2. Blog, Tweet, Facebook, or spread the word about the giveaway and leave a link in the comments.
Good Luck!
For the Our Choice by Al Gore audiobook giveaway:
Out of 14 entrants, Random.org selected #11 Debbie, who said, “I would love a chance to listen to this audio. As far as how I feel about the climate crisis is not positive, I think we all need to do more to protect our world.”
Congrats to Debbie!
For the Unfinished Business by Lee Kravitz giveaway sponsored by Bloomsbury, there were 17 entrants, and Random.org selected the following winners:
#14 A Bookshelf Monstrosity who said, “As for unfinished business, I moved into my apartment almost three months ago and haven’t finished unpacking.”
#1 Kailia Sage from Reading the Best of the Best, who said, “Honestly, I have so many books on my TBR pile that I really should just read them! And fast!”
#16 Nancye Davis, who said, “My unfinished business would be to get my library/office organized”
Congrats to all the winners.
Random.org selected #15 out of 23 for the winner of The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by C.W. Gortner and a pendant:
Aik from Friends & Family said, “I hope to read a confession about the faults she had done in the past or her deepest secrets.”
Congrats to Aik!
For the largest giveaway in honor of my 3-year blogiversary, here are a bunch of winners and the books they won, thanks to Random.org:
JHS won Little Bird of Heaven by Joyce Carol Oates
Bookstore People’s Kim won Game Control by Lionel Shriver
Arch won Summer at Tiffany by Marjorie Hart
Estrella Azul won Letter to My Daughter by George Bishop
Julie won The Best Teen Writing of 2009
Literary Feline won Checker and the Derailleurs by Lionel Shriver
Alessandra won The Lazy Environmentalist by Josh Dorfman
Congrats to all the winners!
Don’t forget the my giveaway of Free to a Good Home and for the 50th Virtual Poetry Circle.
I’ve got a real treat for you today. Eve Marie Mont, author of Free to a Good Home — a new novel in stores today (July 6) and is available in paperback and Kindle versions — will share with us a peek into her alternate writing space.
Here’s a synopsis of her book, which the author sent along:
Noelle Ryan works as a veterinary technician at a New England animal shelter, helping pets find the perfect homes. If only it were as easy to find the same thing for herself. After discovering that she can’t have children—and watching her marriage fall apart after a shocking revelation by her husband—Noelle feels as forlorn and abandoned as the strays she rescues.
She can’t seem to get over her ex, Jay. Unfortunately, all Jay wants from her is a whopper of a favor: serving as a caretaker for his elderly mother, who still blames Noelle for the breakup. While Jay heads off to Atlanta to live the life of a bachelor, Noelle is left with only her Great Dane, Zeke, to comfort her. But when a carefree musician named Jasper gives her a second chance at life—and at love—Noelle comes to realize that home is truly where the heart is.
Please check out the contest on Eve’s website for a chance to win a book club package of eight signed copies and a Skype call-in. Also, if you’d like to read a sneak preview, click here.
OK, without further ado, let’s check out her alternate writing space; shall we?
Thank you so much to Serena for inviting me to guest post on Savvy Verse and Wit. I was reading all the wonderful posts Serena has compiled featuring authors and their writing spaces, complete with photos of finely appointed offices with antique desks and fireplaces or cozy screened-in porches with Adirondack chairs. Then I looked at the space where I do most of my writing and thought, “I can’t possibly send Serena a photo of a plaid loveseat in front of an air conditioner!” But literally, that is what my writing space looks like. Don’t get me wrong, there are some lovely features to my living room as well — the soothing lemony yellow color my husband painted it, the sun that bathes the room in late afternoon, my favorite Picasso print that hangs across from me. But it’s not a space worthy of showcasing on a blog!
So I’ll tell you a little about my alternate writing space, or more accurately, my alternate thinking space: my backyard. I don’t get much actual writing done out here because the setting is far too distracting, but I take my trusty canine companion, Maggie, and we sit by the creek in the dappled sunshine and watch the goldfinches play and the ducklings swim. The breeze rustles through the trees above, and my favorite blue heron sometimes stops by to feed on the minnows. I finally get some time away from my laptop and get back to the basics: me, a pad of paper and a pencil, and some focused daydreaming time. Maggie sits by my feet chewing on sticks, while I fill my notebook with ideas and characters and settings.
This is not to say that my writing life is all lazy afternoons by a picturesque creek with waves of inspiration washing over me. I teach high school English full-time, so much of my year is devoted to planning lessons and grading papers, and I often get very little writing — or thinking, for that matter — done at all. Another reality is that this very same creek floods nearly every time it rains, often knocking down our fence and creating a lot of headache for me and my husband. But when summer arrives and the weather is fine, this is my “go-to” writing and thinking space. When I think of all the enjoyment and inspiration to be found in my own backyard, I know I’m lucky to live where I do—plaid loveseat and ugly air conditioner included.
What is the place that inspires you most? Leave a comment below for a chance to win a free copy of Free to a Good Home.
Deadline for the U.S./Canada giveaway is July 15, 2010, at 11:59 PM
EST. Good Luck!
About the author:
Eve Marie Mont lives with her husband, Ken, and her shelter dog, Maggie, in suburban Philadelphia, where she teaches high school English and creative writing. Free to a Good Home is her first novel. She is currently revising her second novel, a YA book inspired by Jane Eyre.
Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis by Al Gore , which I received as a win from the Green Books Campaign with Eco-Libris, is not what readers will expect. The foreword is read by Al Gore himself (check out the audio excerpt), but the remainder of the audio is narrated by Cynthia Nixon and John Slattery in alternating chapters. Many will expect this volume to talk about how to save the planet, but some may mistakenly think that this is a practical guide for the average American. Upon listening to the audio, however, readers will quickly realize that it is geared at providing larger scale solutions to the climate crisis. However, it would be wrong to assume this book is only for policymakers, scientists, and other societal players because without support from individuals these initiatives will not come to pass.
Our Choice is a comprehensive look at the most viable solutions available to combat and reverse climate change, and it examines each solution from a variety of perspectives to determine which would be the best investment. The book is about not only learning to conserve energy, but also about learning to use waste energy to supplant energy needs and make processes more efficient. From deforestation in developing nations to population growth, Gore discusses many of the pressing issues facing the sustainability of the globe. Although many of the developed nations have contributed most to the carbon emissions and developing nations find it unfair that they should adhere to caps when they have not had enough time to develop their industries, Gore makes the case that we all live on the same planet and regardless of who caused the most damage the time has passed for the blame game. It is now time for humans to look beyond nations, cultures, and societies to save our home.
Depending on your level of enthusiasm for environmental issues or affinity for audio books, Our Choice is a deeply informative book about the broader picture of climate change and the possible solutions. However, readers may find the narration a bit dry at times given the nature of the information provided and may prefer to read this book on their Kindle or in paperback. Gore’s book is a must have for each American so they can learn about the crisis, make note of the possible solutions available to individuals and those for the broader society, and take action on a grassroots level. America was built on grassroots activity, and that great tradition should continue.
OK, I’m jumping down from my soapbox. As a bonus, I would like to do the “green” thing and pass along my copy to another reader.
This giveaway for the audio of Our Choice by Al Gore is international:
1. Leave a comment about your feelings on the climate crisis.
2. Blog, Tweet, Facebook, or spread the word and leave a link on this post.
Deadline is July 4, 2010, at 11:59 PM
Bloomsbury recently contacted me about offering my readers Unfinished Business by Lee Kravitz, a nonfiction book of transformational stories about redemption and reconnecting.
About the book (from Good Reads):
After losing his job, Lee Kravitz, a workaholic in his midfifties, took stock of his life and realized just how disconnected he had become from the people who mattered most to him. He committed an entire year to reconnecting with them and making amends. Kravitz takes readers on ten transformational journeys, among them repaying a thirty-year-old debt, making a long-overdue condolence call, finding an abandoned relative, and fulfilling a forgotten promise. Along the way, we meet a cast of wonderful characters and travel the globe?to a refugee camp in Kenya, a monastery in California, the desert of southern Iran, a Little League game in upstate New York, and a bar in Kravitz’s native Cleveland. In each instance, the act of reaching out opens new paths for both personal and spiritual growth. All of us have unfinished business?the things we should have done but just let slip. Kravitz’s story reveals that the things we’ve avoided are exactly those that have the power to transform, enrich, enlarge, and even complete us. The lesson of the book is one applicable to us all: Be mindful of what is most important, and act on it. The rewards will be immediate and lasting.
Also please view this video, the blog, and the Reader’s Guide.
Giveaway of 3 copies of Unfinished Business by Lee Kravitz (US/Canada only):
1. Leave a comment on this post about what unfinished business you would like to get off your plate.
2. Blog, Tweet, Facebook, or spread the word about the giveaway and leave a link.
Deadline is July 4, 2010, at 11:59 PM EST
C.W. Gortner‘s third book, The Confessions of Catherine de Medici, has all the best elements of historical, royal fiction from political strife to women sold in marriage to keep the peace. Like his previous book, The Last Queen which I reviewed, The Confessions of Catherine de Medici is chock full of drama as Catherine is taken from her home shortly after surviving an angry mob in Florence and betrothed to Henri, one of the sons in line for the throne of France.
“How little they know me. How little anyone knows me. Perhaps it was ever my fate to dwell alone in the myth of my own life, to bear witness to the legend that has sprung around me like some venomous bloom. I have been called murderess and opportunist, savior and victim. And along the way, become far more than was ever expected of me, even if loneliness was always present, like a faithful hound at my heels.
The truth is, not one of us is innocent.
We all have sins to confess.” (Page 3)
Catherine learns of her gift at a very young age but is frightened by what her visions mean for her and her future. Despite her misgivings about her gift, she relies on seers and fortunetellers to guide her path and that of her blossoming family. Her marriage is in name only as her husband favors his mistress blatantly in court, and she is forced to endure the shame of it. Catherine is a strong woman determined to maintain her pride and courtly manner even though it is constantly tested by Henri’s mistress Diane de Poitiers and the thorny politics of her new nation.
Enter, Nostradamus — yes, THE Nostradamus — to issue cryptic predictions and advice to Catherine as she and her adopted nation of France teeter on the brink of religious war. His advice is invaluable to her as she navigates the political and religious turmoil of France, though his appearances are brief, almost as if he were an apparition.
“As I passed the alcove, I sensed a presence. I whirled about. I couldn’t contain my gasp when I saw Nostradamus materialize as if from nowhere. ‘You scared me to death! How did you get in here?’
‘Through the door,’ he said, ‘No one noticed.'” (Page 182)
The novel reads like a set of confessions from Catherine herself as she analyzes her past, her faults, and her passions. Gortner crafts very strong, royal women that draw from historical fact and weaves in a captivating narrative that will leave readers struggling to adjust to their own lives once they’ve finished the last page. The Confessions of Catherine de Medici will round out the character of the woman thought to be one of the most ruthless leaders of France as she acted as regent for her young sons, highlighting the motivations of her decisions at a time when there were no right answers. One of the best books I’ve read this year.
Check out the Q&A about Confessions of Catherine de Medici.
About the Author:
C.W. Gortner‘s fascination with history is a lifetime pursuit. He holds a Masters in Fine Arts in Writing with an emphasis on Renaissance Studies from the New College of California and often travels to research his books. He has experienced life in a medieval Spanish castle and danced a galliard in a Tudor great hall; dug through library archives all over Europe; and tried to see and touch — or, at least, gaze at through impenetrable museum glass — as many artifacts of the era as he can find.
The Giveaway:
I have 1 reader’s copy up for grabs. The giveaway is international.
***added bonus for the winner, a Catherine de Medici medallion***
1. Leave a comment about what confession you hope to read about in Gortner’s book.
2. Blog, Tweet, Facebook, or otherwise spread the word about the giveaway and leave a link in the comments.
Deadline is July 4, 2010 at 11:59PM EST
Out of 37 entrants, Random.org selected #22
Colleen of Books in the City
She said, “I need a desk – in a small NYC apartment my desk options are limited but working on the kitchen counter is not going to cut it much longer!”
Congrats and enjoy your new desk!
