Category: Blog Series Page 147 of 230

Before I get to the questions, I have to say that I’m surprised that we haven’t done one of these before–I did post a Q&As with Germaux as part of tours for Hard Court and One by One, but those questions came from the tours. I’m glad I finally got the chance to ask these few questions.

We’re talking about Small Talk and the Daniel Hayes series today, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t plug the Jeremy Barnes books, too. Where did Jeremy come from, and what would readers want to know about him before they dive in?
Jeremy is my alter ego. As I often tell people, other than the fact that he’s younger, smarter, taller, stronger and has way more hair, you can hardly tell us apart. As for what readers should know before they dive into a Jeremy Barnes mystery, well, JB (a high school English teacher in a previous life) can quote Shakespeare as quickly and easily as he can land a mean left jab, has an irreverent sense of humor and a definite soft spot in his heart for life’s underdogs.

But before you gave us Jeremy, you published Small Talk and introduced us to Daniel Hayes and his team. What was the inspiration for that series and Hays in particular?
Actually, I wrote three books about Jeremy Barnes before I wrote Small Talk. I held off putting those three books on Amazon because my agent at the time had hopes of finding a traditional publisher for them. While he was doing his best in that ultimately unsuccessful endeavor, I came up with the idea of a serial killer novel. Since I couldn’t see a private detective hunting a serial killer as effectively as a police detective who had all the tools of a large urban police department at his disposal, I created my Daniel Hayes character.

Daniel’s not a lone-wolf detective like Bosch or Rebus, he comes with (and works within) a team. While being more realistic isn’t the typical choice for Detective Fiction—why did you make that choice? Talk about the team a bit.
I wanted Daniel to work with a small group of people with diverse backgrounds and talents, a team that could bounce ideas off each other as they searched for the killer. Writing their interactions allowed me to show my readers how the investigation progressed from one level to the next as they closed in on that killer. Each member of the team brings something different to the table. Ted has a long history in local law enforcement, Samantha’s a respected city cop with an FBI contact who helps them in their hunt for the killer, and Henry’s a young suburban cop with great instincts. Together, Daniel (a former pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates) and his team are a classic example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.

Take a moment and compare the two series—what are the limitations and advantages to writing a lone PI and a Police Detective?
Interesting question, H.C. I’ve never really thought about these two series that way. I guess the advantage to writing my Jeremy Barnes books is that I’m able to focus solely on JB’s determination to solve the case, by whatever means necessary, whereas Daniel has to be aware of the legal constraints imposed upon him by the system within which he works. Both he and JB will ultimately get the job done. It’s just that they sometimes take different paths to get there. Again, great question.

Both of your series are based in Pittsburgh, a city that I honestly don’t think I’ve read novels set in before. Is that one of your reasons behind choosing it? What is it about the series that draws you—and why do you think it’s ignored in favor of LA, New York, Boston, Chicago, etc.?
The easiest answer to this question is that old adage: Write what you know. While I’ve been fortunate enough to visit many far-flung locales, from Tahiti to Paris to Rome, I’m a yinzer at heart, born and raised in Pittsburgh. I find the city’s wealth of diverse neighborhoods, from the Oakland area (home to both Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh) to the Hill District (site of many of August Wilson’s Pittsburgh Cycle of award-winning plays) to be a treasure trove of fascinating people and places for my novels. The other cities you mentioned do, indeed, get more attention in terms of settings for books, probably because they all have that big city “panache,” but I think we’re seeing more and more books and, especially, movies being set in and around Pittsburgh.

In addition to your mysteries, you’ve put out some humor collections, and two “General Fiction” (for lack of a better term) novels. Are there genres you wouldn’t want to try? What is it about Mystery novels that brings you back to them?
I wouldn’t try to write anything in the horror or supernatural genres. Although I know they’re enormously popular, and I definitely acknowledge and applaud the writers who are successful in those literary categories, I’ve just never been bitten by that particular bug. As for my love of mysteries, it probably goes back to my childhood, when I couldn’t get enough of The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. I devoured those books.
Let’s play “Online Bookstore Algorithm” (a game I’ve recently invented). What are 3-5 books whose readers may like Small Talk?
Any of the Spenser novels written by Robert B. Parker, along with Robert Crais’ Elvis Cole books and Harlen Coben’s Myron Bolitar mysteries.

What’s next for Robert Germaux, more Jeremy Barnes, Daniel Hayes, or do you have something else up your sleeve?
I just finished Grammar Sex 3, my third book of humorous essays (I like to call them my Grammar Sex Trilogy), so that will be out soon, along with Leaving the LAW and Speak Softly, two of the early Jeremy Barnes novels. And just recently, I finally figured out the plot for a sixth JB book, so I’ll be getting to work on that.

Thanks for your time and these answers, and I hope both the Jeremy Barns and Daniel Hays books have enough success that you can keep going with them!
Hey, H.C., this has been fun. Thanks!

WWW Wednesday, March 31, 2021

By HCNewton

On March 31, 2021

In Books, Currently Reading, News/Misc., WWW Wednesday

Here we are at the end of the month—and before I start seeing what I accomplished around here, let’s check in with a WWW Wednesday, all right?

This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived on Taking on a World of Words—and shown to me by Aurore-Anne-Chehoke at Diary-of-a-black-city-girl.

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Easy enough, right?

What are you currently reading?

I’m reading The Particulars of Peter: Dance Lessons, DNA Tests, and Other Excuses to Hang Out with My Perfect Dog by Kelly Conaboy—a book only marginally longer than its title—and am listening to No Country for Old Gnomes by Delilah S. Dawson & Kevin Hearne, Luke Daniels (Narrator) on audiobook.

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What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished (and thoroughly enjoyed) Duncan MacMaster’s Drop the Mikes and the blast from the past, The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, Jesse Bernstein (Narrator) on audio.

Blank Space

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be the last of the Toccata System trilogy, Progigal Storm by Kate Sheeran Swed, and Slow Horses by Mick Herron, Gerard Doyle (Narrator) on audiobook. I need to refresh myself on this book so I can get serious about the series before a friend locks me into a small room for a week with no internet and only a stack of these books.

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What about you—how’re you closing out this month? What does April have in store for you?

Dead in the Water by Chris McDonald: These Amateur Detectives Start to Look a Little Less Amateur

By HCNewton

On March 29, 2021

In Book Tour, Chris McDonald/Frost, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, The Stonebridge Mysteries

Dead in the Water

by Chris McDonald
Series: The Stonebridge Mysteries, #2

eARC, 105 pg.
Red Dog Press, 2021

Read: March 25, 2021

What’s Dead in the Water About?

Rivalries between small towns are nothing new, and when they can find their focus in a small—and relatively meaningless—athletic competition, they can take on an intensity that belies their significance. Add a cash award on top of a long-standing rivalry? All bets are off. That’s exactly what happened between the neighboring towns of Stonebridge and Meadowfield with the annual Stonebridge Regatta.

Things get a little tenser this particular year when the captain of the Stonebridge team (who was not particularly liked by his team, but he still was one of their own) is found dead in the water. The authorities concluded it was an accidental drowning, but his widow doesn’t accept that conclusion. Matthew Henderson was far too cautious around the water for something like that to happen.

Elena Henderson is an old friend of Adam Whyte’s mother, and like many people in Stonebridge was familiar with his recent success in finding the murderer of his friend. She asks him to look into her husband’s death for her. So Adam recruits his friend Colin to come along for another adventure and the two see if they can find that kind of success again.

Too Much Character Growth?

Part of the charm of The Curious Dispatch of Daniel Costello was how much Adam’s confidence exceeded his (and Colin’s) ability, and yet they somehow blundered onto the solution. They’re clever obviously, but they’re amateurs and they acted that way.

In the ensuing month, their success and fleeting local fame were the push that Adam needed to get off his mother’s couch and get serious about life (for at least a while). Not only that, but when approached by the widow, Adam’s reflexive reaction was to know that he wasn’t qualified. He feels bad for her and wants to help, so he agrees to look into it. While that may really be the right reaction, the realistic reaction, but we don’t turn to this kind of thing for realism, do we? A month of personal growth is enough to banish his overconfidence?

Now, these are things I thought of when sitting down to write this post, and not things that came up when I was reading. In the moment, I was just curious about finding out who killed Henderson and enjoying Adam and Colin. That’s the important part—it worked while reading, and only made me wonder in retrospect. Also, I’m not opposed to these two growing up—I just wonder about the pacing of it.

And also, Adam’s still a clueless and self-focused twerp when it comes to dealing with his mother, so, it’s not like he’s suddenly grown up—and there are plenty of ways his maturity can stumble in future installments if McDonald doesn’t want him to be well-adjusted.

The Sherlock/Watson-ish nature of the relationship that Adam foisted on Colin is pretty much gone—at least in the typical Holmes feel. To stick with those two as exemplars, in this novella, Adam and Colin function largely like Holmes and Watson in the last couple of Elementary seasons. Not quite equals, but close to it—Adam’s still expected to do the big thinking, but the labor and thinking pretty equally divided. It’s easier to see the two being friends this way, rather than Colin being pushed around by Adam like it frequently seemed in the previous adventure.

So, what did I think about Dead in the Water?

Like its predecessor Dead in the Water is a quick and enjoyable read, not quite as comic this time—but there were plenty of grins and chuckles to be found. Colin’s undercover work on the rival town’s rowing team, in particular, comes to mind there, as does a tip of the cap to one of McDonald’s podcast co-hosts (Adam has a comic highlight—with a bonus Narnia quip that I probably laughed out loud at—but I can’t even allude to it without ruining it).

I guessed the killer pretty quickly, but it didn’t affect my enjoyment that much. It was a well-constructed whodunit that provided plenty of opportunities for the reader to pick up on things that Adam missed (and vice versa).

One of the advantages of the novella-length is that McDonald has no opportunity to let “dull parts” step in. Everything that happens propels the story forward or gives us what we need for the characters. Lean prose and not a wasted word keep things moving for the reader and help to keep this as pure fun. I’m absolutely ready to return to Stonebridge to see if these two can find yet another murder in this small town.

4 Stars

My thanks to Red Dog Press for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including a copy of the novella) provided.

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Dead in the Water (Stonebridge #2) by Chris McDonald

By HCNewton

On March 29, 2021

In Book Tour, Chris McDonald/Frost, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, The Stonebridge Mysteries

I’m excited to welcome the Book Tour for the second installment in The Stonebridge Mysteries, Dead in the Water by Chris McDonald this morning. Check back next hour for my take on the novella, but for now, let’s start by learning a little about this book, okay?

Book Details:

Book Title: Dead in the Water by Chris McDonald
Series: The Stonebridge Mysteries
Publisher: Red Dog Press
Release date: March 27, 2021
Format: Paperback/Ebook
Length: 105 pages

Book Blurb:

The Stonebridge Regatta is looming. The town’s annual face-off against neighbouring Meadowfield is usually a weekend filled with sunshine, laughter and camaraderie.

This year is different.

A week before the race, the body of Stonebridge team captain Matthew Henderson is found dead in the water. The police file his passing as a tragic accident however, his grieving widow disagrees and suspects foul play is involved. She enlists the help of Adam and Colin, the town’s amateur (self-proclaimed) private detectives to unearth the truth.

Did Matthew simply slip and fall into the water, or is there more to his death below the surface?

About Chris McDonald:

Originally hailing from the north coast of Northern Ireland and now residing in South Manchester, Chris McDonald has always been a reader. At primary school, The Hardy Boys inspired his love of adventure before his reading world was opened up by Chuck Palahniuk and the gritty world of crime. A Wash of Black is his first attempt at writing a book. He came up with the initial idea whilst feeding his baby in the middle of the night, which may not be the best thing to admit, considering the content. He is a fan of 5-a-side football, heavy metal and dogs. Whispers in the Dark is the second installment in the DI Erika Piper series, and Chris is currently working on his latest series, The Stonebridge Mysteries, to be published by Red Dog Press in 2021.

Purchase Links:

Amazon ~ Red Dog Press

My thanks to Red Dog Press for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including a copy of the novella) provided.

Saturday Miscellany—3/27/21

By HCNewton

On March 27, 2021

In Books, News/Misc., Saturday Miscellany

Odds n ends about books and reading that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
bullet March 25 was not a good day for the literary world, with the deaths of Beverly Cleary and Larry McMurtry. HarperCollins posted this about Cleary and the Washington Post had the first non-paywall McMurtry obituary that I found. I went through a McMurtry phase in college (while avoiding the much-hyped Lonesome Dove, which was probably stupid of me). And Cleary? Come on…who among us didn’t live vicariously through Ralph S. Mouse and his antics? She’s probably the author who taught me you could feel things other than thrills or laughs through books, actually.
bullet 12 Ways to Get Out of a Reading Slump: What to do when you just can’t seem to work up the motivation to read.
bullet How to Know When it’s Time to Quit a Book
bullet In Defense of Kvothe: A Candid Look at a Divisive Character—it’s odd that such a beloved character needs a defense, but, I think even the most ardent fans would admit that he’s a problematic character (like all of us). Here’s a good apologetic for the Kingkiller.
bullet ruminations on my first year of blogging—pretty sure it took me several years to learn what this blogger picked up in one.
bullet Making a Monster—Spells and Spaceships kicked off their Fantasy Monster Week with this post. This series of posts could do some real damage to your book buying budget, I should warn you.

This Week's New Releases That I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
bullet Genrenauts: The Wasteland War by Michael R. Underwood—The Genrenauts are back and as grim as things looked at the end of the last novella, they’re worse now. I read this yesterday, it was so good to be back in this world. If you haven’t come across the Genrenauts yet, here’s my post about the Season One collection.
bullet The Bounty by Janet Evanovich and Steve Hamilton—Fox and O’Hare “race against time to uncover a buried train filled with Nazi gold” with the help of Fox’s father. This is probably my make-it-or-break-it book with this series. The fact that Steve Hamilton is on board gives me some hope.

The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling by Henry Fielding: BOOK XVII., ix. – BOOK XVIII., iii.

By HCNewton

On March 26, 2021

In Fiction, Fridays with The Foundling, General Fiction/Literature

Fridays with the Foundling
Nightingale spends a couple of days hunting for something to exonerate Tom, but when he finds two of the witnesses, it’s not good news. He found two of the men who were with Fitzgerald, but were so far away during the altercation to hear what happened. They stress, however, that Tom struck first.

Nightingale’s faith in Tom is staggered, but Tom wins him back, just as Mrs. Miller arrives and reports her utter lack of success, too. While those two are still there, Tom gets news that a lady wishes to speak with him. He has no idea who it could be, but wants to see whoever it might be. Mrs. Miller and Nigthingale leave so she could be shown in.

It’s Tom’s, um, acquaintance, Mrs. Waters from Chapter 9. She’d spent a lot of time with Fitzgerald, both on the road and after the fight with Tom. She’s more than confident that he’s about to recover, and she continues,

“By the most extraordinary accident in the world I lodge at the same house; and have seen the gentleman, and I promise you he doth you justice, and says, whatever be the consequence, that he was entirely the aggressor, and that you was not in the least to blame.”

Which sounds pretty good for TOm, right?

Thus the melancholy occasioned by the report of Mr Nightingale was pretty well effaced; but the dejection into which Mrs Miller had thrown him still continued. The account she gave so well tallied with the words of Sophia herself in her letter, that he made not the least doubt but that she had disclosed his letter to her aunt, and had taken a fixed resolution to abandon him. The torments this thought gave him were to be equalled only by a piece of news which fortune had yet in store for him, and which we shall communicate in the second chapter of the ensuing book.

And so we turn to the last Book of the novel, and Fielding bids his readers good-bye.

We are now, reader, arrived at the last stage of our long journey. As we have, therefore, travelled together through so many pages, let us behave to one another like fellow-travellers in a stage coach, who have passed several days in the company of each other; and who, notwithstanding any bickerings or little animosities which may have occurred on the road, generally make all up at last, and mount, for the last time, into their vehicle with chearfulness and good humour; since after this one stage, it may possibly happen to us, as it commonly happens to them, never to meet more.

As we are so close to the end, it’s straight-narrative now. No more asides, clever little observations, or anything—we’re just going to wrap things up and get all the story told.

Which is a shame, because I’d have truly loved a few paragraphs of digression after the revelation of Chapter 2 sets in. After Mrs. Waters leaves, Partridge comes in and confesses he overheard most of their conversation, then asks if it’s true that Tom and Mrs. Waters actually went to bed together. Tom admits it to be true but doesn’t see why Partridge is so upset.

I have not breath enough left to tell you now, but what I have said is most certainly true.—That woman who now went out is your own mother. How unlucky was it for you, sir, that I did not happen to see her at that time, to have prevented it! Sure the devil himself must have contrived to bring about this wickedness.”

Yup. Partridge recognized Mrs. Waters, Jenny Jones herself.

Tom reacts the way almost everyone would to find out he slept with his mother—he’s horrified. Partridge isn’t much better—if only he’d seen her earlier he could have saved Tom. While they’re in shock, Tom gets a letter from Mrs. Waters, saying she has “learned something concerning you which greatly surprizes and affects me”—undoubtedly, she’s learned the same thing as Tom, he assumes. She also assures him that Fitzpatrick will live.

Black George decides that this is the time to drop by. He offers Tom help or money, but Tom declines, his problems are far bigger than that. George describes that Sophia and her father have reconciled, mostly due to the wedge driving between Sophia and her aunt. This pleases Tom, immensely, but does him little good.

Mrs. Miller and Allworthy are on better terms, and Mrs. Miller continues to defend and promote Tom in his eyes. They receive news that Fitzpatrick is recovering nicely and has claimed he started the altercation, leaving Tom utterly free.

Allworthy then gets a letter from Mr. Square, and it upsets him greatly we won’t find out what it said until the next chapter, however.

Great plot movement, make no mistake, and we’re clearly in the end game when it comes to plot. But I missed the fun of Fielding’s prose, being straightforward like he is being, takes away some of the charm of the book.

Still…wow. A whole lot happened—and a whole lot more needs to in the next couple of seeks. I just hope we get past the incest stage, but I have no idea how Tom’s going to get out.

WWW Wednesday, March 24, 2021

By HCNewton

On March 24, 2021

In Books, Currently Reading, News/Misc., WWW Wednesday

Last week, we had Pi Day, The Ides of March, St. Patrick’s Day, and the Spring Equinox. This week? Um…Crickets. March takes all the interesting days and puts them in a row. The best I can find for today is that it’s the twelfth Wednesday of 2021 and it’s World Tuberculosis Day. I don’t know about you, but I forgot to get Tuberculosis a card. Maybe I’ll just settle for a WWW Wednesday, instead of attempting the herculean task of hunting for a Belated World Tuberculosis Day Greeting Card

This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived on Taking on a World of Words—and shown to me by Aurore-Anne-Chehoke at Diary-of-a-black-city-girl.

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Easy enough, right?

What are you currently reading?

I’m reading Small Talk by Robert T. Germaux and am listening to Below Zero by C. J. Box, David Chandler (Narrator) on audiobook.

Blank Space

What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished the ARC for David Rosenfelt;s Animal Instinct and was blown away by Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke, J. D. Jackson (Narrator) on audio.

What do you think you’ll read next?

There are 3 books yet that I hope to read this week, which is probably not going to happen. So I need to be responsible, I have a Book Tour Stop on Monday, so my next book should be Dead in the Water by Chris McDonald (responsible should always be as fun as the Stonebridge Mysteries). Then, because I need a change of pace—The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, Jesse Bernstein (Narrator) on audiobook.

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Hit me with your Three W’s in the comments! (no, really, do it!)

Down the TBR Hole (24 of 24+): Phase 1 Wrap-Up

By HCNewton

On March 24, 2021

In Books, Down the TBR Hole, News/Misc.

Down the TBR Hole

Like most readers, I have lists of books that I mean to read one day. I have the books that I’ve purchased which is a pretty intimidating stack (physical or electronic) and a pretty healthy Goodreads “Want To Read” list. Other methods have really never worked for me. But at a point, that list became unwieldy, despite occasional edits. Then I saw this meme and started this series, and here we are at #24.

I started this with 240 books and cut 129 books off of the list—some because I didn’t see what once appealed to me about them; they were no longer easily available/not going to be available (the author/publisher changed their mind); I still figured I’d like them, but I knew I’d never get around to finding the time to read it; or because I’d listed some two (or three) times—and I’d even read a few of them between pulling the list and getting to that spot in the series.

One positive side effect from this series is that it’s spurred me to read something—either by rekindling my interest or just reminding me it existed.
bullet The World’s Strongest Librarian: A Memoir of Tourette’s, Faith, Strength, and the Power of Family by Josh Hanagarne from DtTH #7
bullet Deathstroke, Vol. 1: The Professional by Christopher J. Priest, Mark Morales, Joe Bennett, Jason Paz, Carlo Pagulayan, Belardino Brabo from DtTH #12
bullet Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman from DtTH #12
bullet Starlight by Mark Millar, Goran Parlov from DtTH #13
bullet Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold by Stephen Fry from DtTH #13
bullet Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead by Sara Gran from DtTH #18
bullet Hey Grandude! by Paul McCartney from DtTH #20
bullet Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke from DtTH #22

So, they’ve now been cut from the list, too—so that’s another 8 from 240.

This little project has now eliminated 137 books off of my aspirational To Be Read List—57%. That’s not bad. Not bad at all, actually. Of course, I’ve added 49 books to it since I pulled the initial list—so I’ll be back with more to cut (just looking over those 49, I’ve identified a couple that won’t survive). I’ve already been choosier about adding things to my “Want to Read” Shelf, asking myself, “Is this just fodder for a future Down the TBR Hole?”

I’ve enjoyed this project so far—like most of those I start here, it’s taken longer than I expected, but that’s okay. It’s like browsing in a bookstore, but one I stocked myself. And as long as it’s been since I’ve had that chance to do that in reality, I’ll take even this watered-down approximation of the real thing.

I summarized this earlier, but I feel compelled to add the boilerplate info to this:
This meme was created by Lia @ Lost in a Story—but Jenna at Bookmark Your Thoughts is the one that exposed me to this, and as my Goodreads “Want To Read” shelf is (still) scarily long, I had to do this.

The Rules are simple:

Go to your Goodreads to-read shelf
Order on ascending date added.
Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books.
Read the synopses of the books.
Decide: keep it or should it go?
Keep track of where you left off so you can pick up there next week! (or whenever)

What distinguishes this series from the Mt. TBR section of my Month-end Retrospectives? Those are books I actually own while Goodreads contains my aspirational TBR (many of which will be Library reads). The Naming of the two is a bit confusing, but…what’re you going to do?

(Image by moritz320 from Pixabay)

Saturday Miscellany—3/20/21

By HCNewton

On March 20, 2021

In Books, News/Misc., Saturday Miscellany

Last weekend, I considered putting up a post saying that I was going to take the week off—we worked long shifts all week and had some family stuff going on, and I just knew it was going to be hard getting anything done. But I decided I’d power through and get some stuff accomplished. And ended up basically taking the week off—although the only thing I made a conscious decision not to do was last the Fridays with the Foundling post. All I have to show for my efforts this week are several mostly completed and utterly lifeless posts that I’ll have to do a major re-write on next week.

I did get some reading in, though—including my favorite book of the year so far. So, there’s that. Hope you enjoy this week’s collection:

Odds n ends about books and reading that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
bullet Why You Should Support Your Local Bookstore—In case you need the reminder
bullet A Kansas Bookshop’s Fight with Amazon Is About More Than the Price of Books—worth the minor hassle of dealing with The New Yorker’s not-a-paywall hoops
bullet I didn’t set out to go on an anti-Amazon rant, but, here we are: Want to borrow that e-book from the library? Sorry, Amazon won’t let you.—this one troubles me greatly.
bullet Pre-ordering: show authors some love!—Yeah, this is focused on this particular press, but it applies to all the others. And you don’t even have to shop at That River Website to do it! I’m frequently (still, somehow) surprised how much this helps an author when I see them talk about this.
bullet 5 Reasons to Listen to Classics on Audio—There are some really good points here…I should do this. The accompanying playlist Classic Books to Try on Audio looks like a decent place to start. I think the narrator is key, for example—Ian McKellen reading The Odyssey or George Guidall reading Les Misérables? Sign me up.
bullet Why So Many Novelists Write About Writers—This isn’t a definitive answer to the question I’ve asked a million times (I’m sure most readers have), but it’s a good one.
bullet Why Are We Obsessed With Psychopaths?—some good stuff here, too.
bullet When Is A Book Blogger Not A Book Blogger?—I’m not sure this rant was necessary (I don’t think the blogger is, either), but…yeah, I tend to agree.
bullet The Importance of Knowing Your Own Taste: Ways to Avoid the HYPE and HATE Train—you’d like to think this is unneccesarry and self-evident. However, we’ve all been victim to this folly and need good reminders like this from The Orangutan Librarian.
bullet That post was followed a couple of days later by some great examples of taking her own advice: Books I Read Thanks to Negative Reviews and Ended Up Loving (as an aside, I love the cover for My Lady Jane used there—does a better job of capturing the book than the one I saw when I read it)
bullet To What Extent Should We Compare Books?—good discussion from Stephen Writes
bullet How I Have Maintained A 300+ Day Post Streak!—Nope. Not jealous at all. Especially this week. Going to take some of this advice.
bullet Typically, I’m not a fan of “you’re not a real fan/geek/X, if you don’t…” things, but you’d have a hard time convincing me that @BooksNest is wrong here.

This Week's New Releases That I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
bullet Drop the Mikes by Duncan MacMaster—The Kirby Baxter series is about the most reliably entertaining series I’ve read in the last few years, and I can’t imagine this is going to be the exception. Kirby ends up vacationing next to a Fyre Festival-type thing and stumbles on to a murder (of course).
bullet Wild Sign by Patricia Briggs—Anna and Charles investigate the disappearnce of a small community. I’m around 60% through with this, it’s Briggs’s best in years (so far, anyway)
bullet What Abigail Did That Summer by Ben Aaronovitch—Peter’s cousin Abigail gets the spotlight in this fun novella. I talked about it a bit here recently.
bullet Firefly: Life Signs by James Lovegrove—hey, look, another in this Firefly series for me to have on my TBR Shelf and not get around to reading for months (I did read the first one…). Thankfully, the hardcovers look nice sitting there.

The Friday 56 for 3/19/21: Wild Sign by Patricia Briggs

By HCNewton

On March 19, 2021

In Currently Reading, News/Misc., Quotations, The Friday 56

This is a weekly bloghop hosted by Freda’s Voice

Before I get into today’s entry, this is the 10th Anniversary of Freda’s Voice doing this here weekly meme. That is freakishly impressive in an ephemeral and inconsistent medium as blogs are. Many congratulations to Freda for that.

RULES:
The Friday 56 Grab a book, any book.
Turn to Page 56 or 56% on your ereader. If you have to improvise, that is okay.
Find a snippet, short and sweet.
Post it

from page 56 of:
Wild Sign

Wild Sign by Patricia Briggs

She was tall and leanly muscled. She flexed her long-fingered, manicured hands. Her father had said she was built for work—it had not been a compliment. Bran said she looked like a Valkyrie. She wasn’t sure if that was a compliment, either, though she didn’t think it displeased him.

But no amount of grooming, of cleaning, of polishing, could erase the gaunt woman she had been, more animal than human, with dirty hair so tangled they’d had to cut most of it off. She looked at her muscled forearms and saw instead how they had appeared when she’d been so thin that both bones had shown through the skin. Sleek, smooth nails polished glossy red seemed more unreal than the filthy nails broken down to the quick.

And the stupid part of that? As clear and as visceral as the vision of that haggard creature was, she couldn’t actually remember looking like that.