Category: Blog Series Page 48 of 220

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It sometimes seems like half of the local authors I encounter write books for young children–which is great, it’s just not what I ever expect (I will learn one day). Carla Crane Osborne’s work for children is about as Idaho as it gets (from my limited exposure to it, anyway). I hope you enjoy this quick Q&A with her.

Before we get into things, why don’t you give the reader a brief introduction to you and your work.
My name is Carla Crane Osborne and I am an Idaho Children’s Book Author. I write children’s books based on my experiences growing up on a farm in southern Idaho. I currently have 5 books out and another 2 in the works! I sell my books through my own website, www.gonasreadingranch.com, Amazon.com, and I regularly post about my books, animals, and projects on social media. You can find me on Instagram and Facebook at Gonas Reading Ranch!

Are you a native Idahoan? What brought you to Idaho in the first place? (answer whichever question applies) What is it about Idaho that keeps you here?
I am a native Idahoan! I was born and raised in Burley, Idaho and that is where I grew up alongside my siblings on my parent’s farm. We grew crops and had livestock and we all grew up learning how to tend to and care for the crops and animals and it gave us a sense of responsibility from a young age. Life on the farm as a child was the best experience, in my opinion, and it is the inspiration for my books! We worked hard and we played even harder when the work was done. It allowed us the freedom to expand our imaginations and be as creative as we wanted because we could wander and explore and make up our own little worlds.

Are you tied into some sort of local author/bookish group/culture? If so, tell us about it and how it helps you as an author. If you’re not, is there a reason for it?
Being a full time mom, grandma, and author has not left me a ton of time to get as invested in local groups as I would like. However, I do try to attend local events as often as I can and always enjoy chatting with the other local authors!

What kind of events in the area do you attend—either to sell/promote your books or to network with authors? Are there any outside of this area that you hit regularly and wish we had something like it here?
Most of the events that I attend are local author meet and greets, book fairs, and local school events! I love being able to connect with our community and other local authors. My favorite activity is when I am invited into a school to do book readings with the kids! I love to share my books when they are still in progress and get feedback from the children. A lot of times I end up using bits and pieces of ideas that the kids give me and find a way to include them in my books. I have been to some author events outside of the Treasure Valley, mainly in my hometown, Burley and a couple in Coeur d’Alene. I have done a couple author meet and greets in Burley and a couple author events in CDA. My books are carried in the library and at a lovely little books store called, Fig Pickels in CDA, and I love being invited to attend author get-togethers, meet and greets, or book signings that are put on by either place.

What’s the breakdown of your audience—do you have a strong local base, or are your readers from other parts of the world?
Most of my readers are local. I sell the most books here at local events and I have my books in quite a few of the local libraries as well! I also like to donate books to our local hospitals and toy drives, so I believe most of them end up somewhere in the valley.

Do you think there are particular challenges or advantages to being a writer in the Treasure Valley? (possibly both)
I think the biggest challenge to being a author in the Treasure Valley, or just in general, is the fact that we live in an increasingly digital age. I feel that a lot of times it is easier for parents to use a digital media to entertain kids than it is to sit down and read to them. However, I think that in the Treasure Valley, we have a large population of people who are shifting to a mindset of slowing down and taking more time to do things like sitting to read with their children. I see a lot of parents on social media talking about their children’s education and incorporating more books, outdoor learning, and practical, functional learning and it’s really encouraging to see! There’s nothing that can replace the feeling of holding a real book in your hand!

Do you bring Idaho (or some sort of Idaho-sensibility, assuming one exists) to your work? Whether or not anyone else sees it, can you look at some aspect of your writing and think “That’s Idaho” or “I would do ____ differently if I was a Kentuckian or from Illinois?”
I definitely think that I bring Idaho to my books! The books are all about growing up on a farm and a lot of us in Idaho can relate to that! I think it especially shines through with the illustrations in my books. I have had the chance to work with two fantastic illustrators, Brandon Dorman and my own nephew, Michael Crane, who have captured some truly beautiful representations of Idaho landscape. From the mountains in “Alex the Wonder Lamb” to the beet fields in “Gona’s Halloween Hunt,” it all looks like something you could see within a 30 minute drive, almost anywhere, in Idaho.

One final question, is there a book (or two…or 18, if you get really carried away), that embodies Idaho/the Idaho spirit to you to recommend to my readers?
If had to choose one book that embodies the Idaho spirit, it would probably be the book that I have in the works, “Buster the Brave.” I’ll say as much as I can without spoiling the book before it comes out but, it is themed after our very own Boise State Bronco mascot, Buster. It tells the tale of a young horse who dreams of being the Boise State mascot someday and the determination and bravery it takes to overcome his fears. I think that most of us in Idaho tend to have that “fighting spirit” in us and don’t typically shy away from challenges. I am so excited for this book to be published and I hope that the people of Idaho and fans of our beloved Boise State Bronco’s, love it!

Thanks for your time and participation! Hope you enjoyed it!

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The Hijacked Conscience by Debra Peck: An Obsession for Assurance and Certainty

By HCNewton

On June 30, 2024

In Literary Locals, Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

The Hijacked Conscience:
An Informed and Compassionate Response to Religious Scrupulosity

by Debra Peck

DETAILS:
Publisher: SacraSage
Publication Date: February 10, 2023
Format: Paperback
Length: 158 pg.
Read Date: June 9-16, 2024

What Exactly is RSOCD?

This book focuses on Religious Scrupulosity Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (RSOCD) and I want to be sure that I describe it carefully and accurately. The best way to do that is to let Debra Peck do the honors (obviously, she goes into more depth, but this’ll do for starters):

The International OCD Foundation describes it as “A form of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) involving religious or moral obsessions. Scrupulos individuals are overly concerned that something they thought or did might be a sin or other violation of religious or moral doctrine.”’ In simplest terms, people with Scrupulosity OCD see sin where there is none.

Those who suffer from Scrupulosity usually have an overly sensitive moral conscience which causes their faith to be experienced as anxiety and fear instead of as peace. The French call it “the doubting disease.” People with Scrupulosity hold themselves to a rigorous level of spirituality and practice, not out of love or even out of obligation, but out of deep-seated fear and anxiety that not doing so imperils their eternal soul.

Like all forms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Scrupulosity is marked by unwanted and intrusive thoughts (obsessions), overwhelming anxiety that demands resolution, and either outward or internal rituals (compulsions) that relieve the anxiety for a time.

What’s The Hijacked Conscience About?

Peck tries (fairly successfully, I think) to introduce RSOCD to believers, pastors, counselors, and others to the concept. Using her own life and experiences she walks the reader through the struggles she endured (with help and hindrances from family, friends, and fellow Christians) until she was diagnosed. And how having this diagnosis—and the better treatments that came from it—have helped, and how it hasn’t (enough).

Throughout, there’s an attempt to generalize from her experience—or at least show how things she went through can be similar to things others go through.

She also brings in some of the research she and others have done about the disorder alongside her own experiences—which is essential.

I Can’t Help But Wonder…

Early on, Peck describes things that people say in response to questions and concerns raised by people with RSOCD. I’ve heard some of these given to questions by people without it—and I found them just as troublesome and almost as damaging. I put in my notes around that time—these people need a good dose of the Heidelberg Catechism (and the rest of the Three Forms of Unity/Westminster Standards). And, yes, I know—that is not a panacea here, and there’s a lot more going on than bad theology. However…it’s sure not helping them.

Peck herself says,

For those from a Wesleyan-holiness position which emphasizes that the heart can be completely cleansed from sin and living a sin-free life is the expectation of those who are “sanctified,” this can be especially debilitating.

I’ll leave it to others to deal with Wesleyen perfection and the myriad problems it has and that stem from it. But I absolutely see where it’d be debilitating to anyone honest with themselves about their spiritual condition—for someone who is compelled to be “overly concerned” with spiritual matters, debilitating seems like an understatement.

Now, people in the Wesleyan-holiness traditions don’t have a monopoly on this tendency—R. Scott Clark talks about many Evangelical strains affected by what he calls the QIRC and the QIRE—RSOCD really seems like a super-powered version of the Quest for Illegitimate Religious Certainty (with a dose of Quest for Illegitimate Religious Experience, too). Clark defines the QIRC as “the pursuit to know God in ways he has not revealed himself and to achieve epistemic and moral certainty on questions where such certainty is neither possible nor desirable.” The QIRC is problematic for anyone—you add OCD to it? And forget it—you need to fight this with medication, therapy, and better theology.

I don’t for a second believe that Reformed believers can’t struggle with this—the Heidelberg isn’t an inoculation against it. But I do wonder how it would present itself from someone within the Reformed tradition. (I’m curious about Muslims, Universalists, or Wiccans struggling with RSOCD, too).

So, what did I think about The Hijacked Conscience?

This is clearly Peck’s story—or, better, a look at RSOCD through Peck’s story. And as such, it’s good. What would’ve made this better is seeing a few other people’s stories—not the whole thing, but more. Sure, we’re told that there are others—given a couple of historical examples that are likely true, or at least possible—but as it is, it’s harder to get an idea about how RSOCD affects people who aren’t Debra Peck. It’d also be nice to see things others have done to help themselves.

Again, I know that’s not the design or intent of the book. I just think it’d have made this a stronger book—maybe that’s what a future sequel holds? (I don’t know if Peck has plans/intentions for a follow-up, I’m just spitballing here)

But as for the book we do have? It was good—it’s a solid introduction to the concept of RSOCD, a good look at how undiagnosed/untreated it can affect a person, and how—with help—someone can cope (for lack of a better term) with it. There’s even a nice little discussion on the use of medications for this, and similar, afflictions.

The writing is clear and approachable—frequently engaging and pleasant. There’s nothing to be daunted about here, just a good primer to help you weep with those who weep.

3 Stars

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Saturday Miscellany—6/29/24

By HCNewton

On June 29, 2024

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 Kinky Friedman, Alt-Country Musician and Celebrated Humorist, Dies at 79—from his mysteries to his music and beyond, Friedman was a unique voice (that should’ve been heard by more)
bullet How the ‘Owner’s Guide’ Became a Rare Book
bullet How to Tell a Great Campfire Story
bullet The Literary Power of Hobbits: How JRR Tolkien Shaped Modern Fantasy
bullet Rob Hart on ‘Assassins Anonymous’ and the Dark Appeal of the Assassin Genre—Nick Kolakowski chats with Hart about his latest book, the genre, and the sequel (squee!!!!)
bullet The Joy of Reading Books You Don’t Entirely Understand: It really should be acceptable and normal to say “I don’t entirely understand what I just read, but I loved it.”—There’s a few books I’ve read in the last few years that fall under this category. Glad to see I’m not alone (and I know that I really should read more things like this, but do enjoy the comfort of understanding things)
bullet Traditional publishing vs. Self-publishing: Should There Be A Conflict?—I haven’t finished this yet, but there’s some good stuff to chew on in this conversation
bullet 2000th Post and 6 Years Blogiversary Q&A—Sifa Elizabeth Reads celebrates two landmarks with a Q&A (and some decent advice)
bullet Bookmark Chat: Organization
bullet Idle Thoughts on Fantasy Stereotypes: The Big Man—a good follow up to the Idle Thoughts on The Mentor

To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago Week?
bullet Little Tiny Teeth by Aaron Elkins—Gideon Oliver and John Lau enjoy an Amazon River cruise (until the obligatory dead body shows up)
bullet The Hero’s Guide to Storming the Castle by Christopher Healy—the second in this very fun MG Fantasy series
bullet Dead Connection by Alafair Burke—I remember really liking this first Ellie Hatcher book (and, sadly, almost nothing else about it).
bullet I also noted the release of The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith

This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
bullet Don’t Let the Devil Ride by Ace Atkins—”A Memphis woman hires a PI to find her missing husband, only to discover that he is involved in a dangerous web of international intrigue–and she and her children are now at risk.” I think the promo line, “S.A. Cosby meets Don Winslow,” is a bit odd (kinda seems like using too many words to say “Ace Atkins”), but eh…it is catchy.
bullet The Daughters’ War by Christopher Buehlman—Galva’s backstory in “set during the war-torn, goblin-infested years just before The Blacktongue Thief.” The prequel nature of this really doesn’t intereste me. But I do like the concept, I really enjoyed my first exposure to Buehlman early this year, and that podcast I featured last week did pique my curiouslty. Which is me using too many words to explain why I’ll be listening to this soon (probably explaining to myself more than anyone…)
bullet Love Letters to a Serial Killer by Tasha Coryell—”An aimless young woman starts writing to an accused serial killer while he awaits trial and then, once he’s acquitted, decides to move in with him and take the investigation into her own hands.” If this wasn’t described as a black comedy, I’d stay far away from it (while understanding why others race to it). But I gotta admit, I’m intrigued…

IN MEDIAS RES—The Book of Perilous Dishes by Doina Rusti, James Christian Brown (Translator): The Arts of Occult Cuisine

By HCNewton

On June 27, 2024

In Book Tour, Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, In Medias Res

As the title implies, I’m in the middle of this book (59%), so this is not a full post, just some thoughts mid-way through. There were some challenges getting me a copy that my eyes could read, so I didn’t get the chance to finish the book on time. Many thanks to Dave at The Write Reads Tours for trying so valiantly to help.

The Book of Perilous Dishes

by Doina Rusti, James Christian Brown (Translator)

DETAILS:
Publisher:  Neem Tree Press
Publication Date: May 21, 2024
Format: e-Book
Length: 272 pgs.

What’s The Book of Perilous Dishes About?

This novel takes place in two distinct times, the majority of which starts in 1798 when fourteen-year-old Pâtca is forced to flee the only home she really knows because the city guards are raiding it to take in her grandmother (and anyone else they find there) for crimes imagined (and possibly real). She runs to Bucharest, the city she was born in, where her family had lived for a long time, and where her parents died when she was young.

She was told to track down her “little uncle,” Cuviosu Zăval, who could bring her to her parents’ home as well as provide for her. But Zăval is dead when she arrives—murdered, actually—and things get worse from there. Her meager possessions are stolen, she’s captured by criminals (possibly to be sold as a slave), accused of crimes and imprisoned, taken under the care of someone that she—and readers—cannot be sure she should trust, and…so much more (including several things I haven’t read yet).

Pâtca, Zăval, her grandmother, and who knows how many other members of her family, follow occult practices of various types. Some time back, Pâtca, compiled several recipes that are will bespell the eater into a collection called “The Book of Perilous Dishes.”

At the same time, the city is in turmoil. The current prince is about to be deposed (it doesn’t seem likely that he’ll be able to stop the fomenting rebellion). This prince recently took a slave, Silică, from a prominent citizen (the woman who will later assume Pâtca’s guardianship)—he’s a chef of a caliber that would get an invitation from the Chairman to take on Iron Chef in another time. Soon after she arrives in the city, Pâtca becomes convinced that Silică bought “The Book of Perilous Dishes” from her uncle, and is (unwittingly?) about to unleash chaos on the city unless she stops him.

(there’s a few other things afoot, but let’s stick with the story that the book gets its title from)

The other time is 1829, a.k.a. “The Present” is the perspective the 1789 story is being told from. We get snippets of what’s going on in Pâtca’s life there throughout the book—and the Table of Contents tells me that the last chapter will take place there. I’m really unsure beyond that what to say about it. I mean, obviously, Pâtca survives the tight places and dangers she faces (although that’s generally implied in first-person narration, but with the amount of ghosts/possible ghosts and other weirdness going on here, I’m not convinced that’d be guaranteed in this book)

That Opening

I can think of at least 4 books I’ve read in the last two years that have started like this*—guards/police/authorities/angry crowds, etc. coming for the protagonist/protagonist and their family and they have to flee their home to hide/take on a new persona/find a new home. I don’t bring this up to complain about the lack of originality or anything, it’s just something that occurred to me as Pâtca was being rushed out the door by her grandmother, Maxima.

Not only is it an exciting way to open a book—far better than a description of the weather or something—it almost guarantees that the reader will be hooked for at least a chapter or two, but it also tells the reader a lot about the novel and what to expect just from the opening pages. Odds are, not all of those who flee are going to make it—or someone is going to stay behind in an act of self-sacrifice, so you’ve got some tragedy right out of the gate. You’re also going to see your protagonist with a thirst for revenge, justice, or a resolve to carry on with whatever brought whoever to their door.

It’s an efficient and effective bit of writing and storytelling strategy. And Rusti pulls it off well.

* …and who knows how many in the last 40 years.

Rusti’s Writing

A good deal of the appeal to this book is Rusti’s descriptions and depiction of life in Bucharest. The way she describes certain people and Silică’s food, for example, just about justified what I paid for the book. For example:

If I tell you he was handsome, you will understand nothing. He was a man so luminous that you’d be drawn like a magnet to him from any distance. You couldn’t see his eyes. You couldn’t describe any of the features of his face. He was quite simply a soul that soaked into your flesh and blood. He was like water. He was a spark struck from the heart of a coal. He was the very breath of that noontide, fixed over the city.

That woman had a way of looking that was impossible to forget. She didn’t smile, but her face lit up as if she had drunk up all the events that she gazed at.

Beyond that, there’s just her language and way of telling the story. Largely this has to be Rusti’s culture and heritage shining through—the result is something that feels a lot less like our world than a lot of Fantasy/SF that’s supposed to be in worlds that have no relation to Earth. Tatooine, Qo’noS, and Krynn are a lot more like the U.S./U.K. than the world of this book—which is actually in Europe. This really shines forth brightly in this novel and adds a richness to the experience.

There’s a circuitous style to the way that Rusti moves the plot forward that’s both charming and frustrating. I’m not sure if I can describe it but I’ll try. She’ll begin a section at Step 10 (although you won’t realize that right away) and then slip to Step 2 (or 1) and proceed in order to Step 6 or 7, and maybe make you guess at/assume 8 and 9 while resuming at Step 10. Occasionally, she’ll throw a flashback into the middle of that.

I do wonder about some of the language used—there’s a formality to some of the writing and vocabulary that seems out of place to the pacing and atmosphere (and possibly, characters, I’m not sure about that yet). It’s not in every sentence or paragraph (which, I guess is why I said “some”), but it pops up often enough that I can’t help but take note of it. This is at least partially attributable to James Christian Brown, particularly when it comes to word choices—and what not to translate*. I don’t know how much of Rusti’s vocabulary is as formal as Brown’s, but for my purposes, I have to assume that if Rusti wrote this in English, it’d read this way.

* There is a handy-dandy glossary in the back of the book, I discovered too late, because why read the Table of Contents?

So, what do I think about The Book of Perilous Dishes so far?

I like it. I’m confused and/or uncertain about many things going on—I’m not even sure how much I like/trust/care about Pâtca, much less anyone else. But I’m intrigued and very curious about where this all is going.

It’s definitely one of those books that I’m going to have to read the last couple of pages of before I know what I think of the whole thing—I largely think that the journey is as rewarding as the destination when it comes to books—and certainly, the trip I’m on is pretty interesting. But this is going to be one of those books that I’ll have to look back at the journey once I arrive to decide if it was all worth it, pretty scenery notwithstanding.

At this point, I can say that this is a fascinating world, filled with riveting characters, and a story that’ll keep you wondering and guessing throughout (I’m willing to bet until the last ten pages). But I feel confident in saying that it’s worth a shot.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.

My thanks to The Write Reads for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided.

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: The Book of Perilous Dishes by Doina Rusti

By HCNewton

On June 27, 2024

In Book Tour, Fantasy, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

This morning, I’m very pleased to welcome The Write Reads Blog Tour for Donia Rusti’s novel, The Book of Perilous Dishes. In addition to this Spotlight, my first post about the book will be coming along a little later. The Tour started yesterday and will be going on for a few more days, and there are going to be plenty of interesting things said about the book. So check out https://twitter.com/WriteReadsTours (see also the snazzy image below) to catch other people’s perspective. But for now, let’s learn a little bit about the book, shall we?

Book Details:

Title: The Book of Perilous Dishes by Donia Rusti, translated by: James Christian Brown
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romanian Literature
Release date: February 2017, March 3, 2022 (Neem Tree Press edition), May 21, 2024 (U.S.)
Length: 272 pages
Publisher: Neem Tree Press

About the Book:

1798: A magical, dark adventure. Fourteen-year-old Pâtca, initiated in the occult arts, comes to Bucharest, to her uncle, Cuviosu Zăval, to retrieve the Book of Perilous Dishes. The recipes in this magical book can bring about damaging sincerity, forgetfulness, the gift of prediction, or hysterical laughter. She finds her uncle murdered and the book missing. All that Zăval has left her is a strange map she must decipher. Traveling from Romania to France and on to Germany to do so, Patca’s family’s true past and powers are revealed, as is her connection to the famous and sublime chef, Silica.

Book Trailer:

Book Links:

Amazon UK ~ Amazon US ~ Neem Tree Press ~ Goodreads

About the Author:

DOINA RUŞTI, important contemporary Romanian novelist, is unanimously appreciated for epic force, for originality and erudition of her novels. She received all major Romanian awards, including the Romanian Academy Prize, and was translated into many languages (even in Chinese).

She wrote ten novels, including: Fantoma din moară (The Phantom in the Mill, 2008), Lizoanca (2009), Zogru (2006).

The novels Manuscrisul fanariot (The Phanariot Manuscript, 2015), Mâța Vinerii (The Book of Perilous Dishes, 2017) and “Homeric” (2019) can be a Phanariotic Trilogy (18th century). The most recent novel: Paturi oculte (Occult beds), 2020.

Good international reviews in: La Stampa, Stato Quotidiano, Il Venerdì di Repubblica. Il Libero, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Magyar Nemzet, La Opinion, Turia. Il Mercurio etc.

My thanks to The Write Reads for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided.

WWW Wednesday, June 26, 2024

By HCNewton

On June 26, 2024

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

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?

Seems easy enough, right? Let’s take a peek at this week’s answers:

What are you currently reading?

I’m reading The Book of Perilous Dishes by Doina Rusti, translated by James Christian Brown, and am listening to Labyrinth by Kat Richardson, read by Mia Barron on audiobook.

Blank Space

What did you recently finish reading?

Yesterday I finished Wesley Parker’s Detours and Do-overs and Robert Germaux’s Grammar Sex and Other Stuff: A Collection of (mostly humorous) Essays. I most recently finished The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi, read by Wil Wheaton on audiobook, and at least temporarily set aside One in the Chamber by Robin Peguero, read by Zion Jang because it just wasn’t working for me (but I can see why it would for many people).

Blank Space Cover for the audiobook of One in the Chamber by Robin Pegeuro >

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be the ARC of Shades of Mercy by Bruce Borgos—I think this series has legs, and I’m eager to be proven correct. My next audiobook should be A Door in the Dark by Scott Reintgen, read by Jesse Vilinsky, assuming the friend who is currently listening to our library’s copy (and recommended it to me) finishes before I finish Labryinth.

Blank Space

Tell me what you’ve been reading lately—or what neat thing is coming up on your TBR.

Top 5 Tuesday – Top 5 books of 2024… so far!

By HCNewton

On June 25, 2024

In Books, News/Misc., Top X List

This week’s topic is, “Top 5 books of 2024… so far!…What does your top 5 list look like at our halfway point??” I haven’t done one of these in a minute, this seemed like a good time to get back to it. Whittling down my list to a Top 10 was a piece of cake at this point (a pleasant surprise)–but trimming that to a Top 5 took some work. I think I’m satisfied with the result. Although beyond that this post could’ve been easier, if I’d only finished my posts on three of these by now.

In alphabetical order by author:

	The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett This Fantasy-Mystery hybrid (with a decent amount of other-worldly science thrown in) was my first five-star read of the year, and it’s one I’m still thinking about. The world was great, the characters were complex and well-executed, the story and atmosphere were stunning. I could go on and on about this one, but am going to force myself to be pithy here. My full take on the book can be found here.
	The Olympian Affair by Jim Butcher Yes, part of the appeal of this novel was that we finally got something new in this series after years of silence. But I’d have had a blast with this no matter when it was released. Butcher very carefully gave his fans more of just about everything they enjoyed in the first book without duplicating it in any sense. He also deepened and expanded our knowledge and understanding of this world, its magic and politics, and all of the major characters (white hats, gray hats, and black hats). At least two of the new characters had better be back. There’s a character death that I’ll eventually forgive Butcher for, but I’m not there yet. This one just ticked every box for me.
	The Mercy Chair by M.W. Craven This is the darkest M.W. Craven novel–well, I haven’t read his second book yet, so I should qualify this as the darkest Poe and Tilly novel. And that’s no mean feat. The two are called in to help investigate the death of a cult leader and end up discovering much more–murders that no one realized had happened, torture sessions disguised as education/treatment, some twisted emotional and spiritual abuse–and more. Both Poe and Tilly are at there best here–and the rest of regular characters are as well. This will stick with readers for a while.
	Smoke Kings by Jahmal Mayfield Speaking of dark…Smoke Kings tells the story of a group of friends who decide to take social justice into their own hands and become vigilantes acting out against those who’ve benefited from lynchings or other racially-motivated crimes their families participated in decades ago. Internal and external pressures start to overwhelm the group and then things get deadly. There’s a whole lot of evil done in the name of righteousness here (by people that others would deny were anything but righteous). The number of heroes–or at least people who were actually accomplishing good things–are far outweighed by those using others. If you’re not disturbed as you’re gripped by this, you’ve missed something.
	Christa Comes Out of Her Shell by Abbi Waxman The first 87 pages of this book might have been my favorite 87 pages this year. The rest of them were pretty good, too. The central premise was a little out there, but Waxman pulled it off–and the rest of the book was so good you didn’t mind anyway. I laughed, I was moved, my heart was warmed—all the typical reactions to Abbi Waxman. I loved being in this world, surrounded by Waxman’s words and I cannot wait for the next excuse I have to do it again. My full take on the book can be found here.

LITERARY LOCALS: A Q&A About Writing in Idaho with Arnold Ytreeide

By HCNewton

On June 25, 2024

In A Few Quick Questions With..., Literary Locals

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Arnold Ytreeide made me chuckle more than I expected to reading his responses–so, obviously, I went and bought all his books immediately. Not really–but it wouldn’t have surprised me if I did.

Before we get into things, why don’t you give the reader a brief introduction to you and your work.
I come from Seattle where I was a police officer, television producer, and business man for many years. I moved to Idaho in 1988 and here found my true love. We married, and I wrote a little Christmas story for our kids. Somehow an editor at a publishing house heard about it (we never did figure out how) and asked to see it. I sent it, they called back and said they wanted to publish it, and suddenly I was a published author. That was in 1995, and the book was Jotham’s Journey.

A year after that first book came out, the publisher wanted another, then another. I just turned in the manuscript for #8 in the series, and we’re taking it to 10. Also when it was first published, New Line Cinema called me up, very excited to make Jotham into a movie. But then their company got sold, and the new owners decided – much to their disgrace and humiliation – to make a movie about a different kind of lord and some kind of ring or something. Obviously a bad move.

I also have a self-published adventure series for pre-teens, and several novels. All of my books are, at their heart if not on their shirt sleeves, Christian, though my real goal is to reach a wider market with just good stories – which I thought I had done when New Line called.

I was a university professor for 20 years, and wrote when I could, but I’m retired now and it seems like I’m always fighting a deadline. Which is a good thing – it keeps me young.

We keep up a website at JothamsJourney.com, but other than that I am shamefully little involved in social media.
I’m sure the bean-counters at New Line have spent a lot of time second-guessing that choice…

Are you a native Idahoan? What brought you to Idaho in the first place? (answer whichever question applies) What is it about Idaho that keeps you here?
School initially brought me to Idaho, but only for three years, I told everyone. I’d get my degree, and then be returning to Seattle.

Then the women who I instantly decided would be my wife walked in the door one day, and, well, here we are. She was a widow with two small children and, for their sake, we decided to make this our home.

Are you tied into some sort of local author/bookish group/culture? If so, tell us about it and how it helps you as an author. If you’re not, is there a reason for it?
I’m not, really. I enjoy meeting with other authors, but am so busy (with a lot of things, not just writing) that I can’t seem to make a long-term connection.

What kind of events in the area do you attend—either to sell/promote your books or to network with authors? Are there any outside of this area that you hit regularly and wish we had something like it here?
I’ve done a couple book fairs at libraries, but that’s about it. But with the advent of Zoom and the like, I also do a lot of talks to school children around the world about writing and about my books. I think my record is a high school in South Africa. Those are a lot of fun, and maybe are a way that local authors could reach out to schools and groups in the more remote parts of Idaho, or even the not-remote parts. It’s easy, and takes very little prep and no travel time.

What’s the breakdown of your audience—do you have a strong local base, or are your readers from other parts of the world?
My Jotham series is world-wide, and that is certainly the bulk of my sales. But my self-published series (Mike Danford Adventure Series) also gets strong sales in Canda, the UK, Australia, and parts of Europe. By far, though, the biggest percentage of sales come from the U.S.

I have no way of knowing for sure, but just from the emails and comments we get, I believe I have a pretty big footprint in the HomeSchool market.

Do you think there are particular challenges or advantages to being a writer in the Treasure Valley? (possibly both)
Well, since Doerr lives and writes from here (or at least did) I’m guessing the challenges are minimal😊 I’ve been writing for forty years, and I would say that, in the past, location did actually have an impact on success. But with the internet, that has completely changed – as I said, I spoke face-to-face(ish) to high schoolers in South Africa. In the last few months I’ve taken many online meetings with publishers and movie producers, including a publisher in London. No one cared where I was. And if they want a face-to-face meeting – which is always nice and usually preferred – we can always make that happen. In January a group of three producers came to meet with us, and we actually met in a meeting room at the Nampa Library. So we seem to always work it out.

Certainly we don’t have the direct access to in-person events that we might have in large cities, but that’s about the only drawback I can see. My wife and I often meet with fans at a local Starbucks when asked, but by far these days the most contacts are through Zoom and other social media.

In fact, when New Line was all gung-ho to make Jotham, we scouted the entire south end of Idaho and mapped out shooting locations.

My Danford series is set in a fictional small town on the ocean, but much of the inspiration for that town comes from right here in Idaho. My protags are seventeen and smart, but they also have small-town ethics, and a sense of right and wrong. All of that came from right here. They do not, however, talk a lot about potatoes😊

One final question, is there a book (or two…or 18, if you get really carried away), that embodies Idaho/the Idaho spirit to you to recommend to my readers?
Oddly enough, I’d have to say anything Zane Grey. Though the writing style is antiquated, the stories certainly are not. I read to my wife every night – an eclectic collection of most anything – and a while back we tried a Zane novel. It reminded us both of Idaho!
I’m not sure how odd that is–makes perfect sense to me.

Thanks for your time and participation! Hope you enjoyed it! (I sure did)

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Saturday Miscellany—6/22/24

By HCNewton

On June 22, 2024

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 Tom Gauld on the human-AI collaborative novel Robot Apocalypse 2030—let’s start off this week with a quick Gauld cartoon, shall we?
bullet 94-Year-Old Grandmother Kept Meticulous Book Log for 80 Years—I’m both impressed and jealous
bullet An Update About Disappointing Things, and Things That Did Not Disappoint—Harry Connolly’s latest update
bullet Do You Love YA Paranormal Books, too?
bullet Four Books That Are Gateways to Science Fiction Sub-Genres—Beth Tabler surveys the sub-genres: Cyberpunk, Science Fiction Humor, Hard Science Fiction, and Space Opera; and gives some great recommendations
bullet When Is An Author “Milking” Their World?
bullet Idle Thoughts on Fantasy Archetypes: The Mentor

A Book-ish Related Podcast episode (or two) you might want to give a listen to:
SFF Addicts Ep. 109: Christopher Buehlman talks The Daughter’s War, Atmosphere, Voice & More—a great convo

To help talk about backlist titles (and just for fun), What Was I Talking About 10 Years Ago Week?
bullet The Severed Streets by Paul Cornell—the 2nd of the Shadow Police Novels (if only there were several more)
bullet I talked about the release of Shattered by Kevin Hearne, All Fall Down by Jennifer Weiner, Top Secret Twenty-One by Janet Evanovich, and Heirs of Grace by Tim Pratt.

This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
bullet Winter Lost by Patricia Briggs—Mercy, Adam, and Mercy’s brother are in Montana hopefully not destroying the world.
bullet The Last Decade of Cinema 25 Films from the Nineties by Scott Ryan—Ryan writes about 25 of the most iconic films of the 90s.

Opening Lines: One In the Chamber by Robin Peguero

By HCNewton

On June 20, 2024

In Blog Series, Currently Reading, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, News/Misc., Opening Lines, Quotations

Head & Shoulders used to tell us that, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” That’s true for wearing dark shirts, and it’s especially true for books. Sometimes the characters will hook the reader, sometimes the premise, sometimes it’s just knowing the author—but nothing beats a great opening for getting a reader to commit.

You aren’t born a killer. You don’t gradually become one, either. One minute, you’re not, and the next, you just are. Like your first time having sex. Just as thrilling. Just as awkward. Nothing much changes but the label. you’re still you. But now, you’re a quote-unquote murderer. You played God and took a human life.

It’s entirely natural, but it still shocks people. Some people want other people dead. We visualize our goals, and we achieve them. Shouldn’t that be celebrated?

You swish someone wanted you dead. Not that you have a death wish. You’re too self-involved for that, and suicide is so gauche. you just wish you were that important to someone. It’s a compliment really: to have given another person’s endpoint more than a passing thought. To decide for them that today is enough. And not just today, but at this very minute, their contribution to history should meet its unceremonious finish. High Flattery.

You’re welcome.

from One In the Chamber by Robin Peguero
Cover to One in the Chamber
I’m not sure what happens over the next 369 pages (in a sense). I just want almost 400 pages like this.

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