Indie Author Joe Crubaugh - Terminal Departure: A Cleo Matts Novel

I love when authors write series books. Especially anything Jason Bourne-esque, or I suppose you could say hard-boiled. I love it until I realize that, to-date, there is only one novel or that I've come to the end of the written, published novels. I freely admit it: I get stuck on good series, read until there is no more to read, and then pine for a new installment, another fix.

Cleo Matts did this to me.

Cleo is a secret agent who opposes the clandestine operations of the US government. The book begins on a plane where Cleo is on a mission to keep a man alive. A man that the US government wants dead. When things begin to go wrong, Cleo finds himself saved by the watchers and his mission completely changed.

The watchers are alien life forces who abduct humans, but the humans have no recollection of the encounter when all is said and done. Cleo only knows that they have been abducted because he is familiar with the signs and symptoms. After the abduction and plane crash, Cleo teams up with movie star and scorned woman Julia McMichaels. From there, they are on a mission to save themselves and the world.

The plot sounds a little silly after getting to the alien encounter part, but it works, I promise. I had forgotten that aliens were involved when I sat down to read Terminal Departure, and I was a little leery when I came to the abduction scene.

The story has a few plot holes, one of which seemed like it was going to be a big deal, but then didn't materialize into anything later in the story. After the abduction and tragedy that the characters survived, Cleo and Julia were both seemingly invisible to other people for a short time. It wasn't enough time to help them escape, but enough to cause some confusion. I'm not sure what the author was going for, but it could have turned into something neat.

I am always a fan of action, deceit, and conspiracy, and Cleo didn't disappoint. He was mostly emotionally detached, but able to feel emotions if he let his shield down. He realized this about himself and used it to his advantage. Sometimes these types of characters end up being complete sociopaths. Sometimes this works, but more often than not, it leaves the reader wanting more; we want a human, emotional connection.

It has been about ten days since I finished Terminal Departure, so all of the details aren't as fresh in my mind as they could be, but I think it is safe to say that there weren't any glaring grammatical errors that made the book unreadable. This I would surely have taken notice of.

Sometimes when you read a novel, chapter endings are cliff hangers, and other times they seem to end a portion of the story. Terminal Departure seemed to do neither. While I was involved in the story, the chapter endings did nothing to pique my interest in reading the rest of the story. Luckily, I quickly became vested in the outcomes of the characters. Portions of the story didn't end with the chapters, but there were no real cliff hangers. This was good for my sleeping habit since I could put the book down, go to sleep, and continue reading the next day.

The story ended with, not a cliff hanger, but an opening for another Cleo Matts novel, and I'll be honest, I've already looked into it, and there aren't anymore...yet. According to Joe Crubaugh's Amazon page, he is working on the second novel as we speak. 

Indie Author Claude Nougat - Forget the Past (Trilogy Book 1)

In Forget the Past, a young, child genius turns seventeen and suffers burnout from the world that he knows. The once video game programmer leaves his home in search of his roots in Italy. 

While meandering through the streets of an Italian city where his ancestors originated, Tony comes across a Circolo di Conversazione. Tony isn't quite sure what he is expecting, but what he encounters changes his world, forever. 

Inside of the Circolo di Conversazione, he meets an odd group of people, thousands of people, milling about talking loudly. These people all claim to be members of the Bellomo family. Tony's ancestors.  The family origin goes back 900 years. The leader of the family, Don Ugone, commands Tony to stay, allow them to use his "life energy", and watch the plays that the family members put on. 

These plays are not merely the family members acting out their stories; they somehow relive their experiences for the entire Circolo di Conversazione to see. All of the members then gather in another room and discus the choices of the family member. The point of the Circolo, it seems, is talking about and understanding the turning points of each other's lives. 

Tony meets many people from his family, but of course, he doesn't believe that they really are who they claim to be. He spends almost the entire book assuming that they are actors in an elaborate play. 

Tony meets many family members while he is in the Circolo, and I'm not sure what purpose many of them serve. He simply watches play after play and is introduced to many different family members whose lives span hundreds of years. 

I'm sure Tony was supposed to learn something about himself while in the Circolo, but I wasn't very clear on what it was that he learned. There were a few 'ah ha' moments where you could see the light bulb go off in Tony's mind, but most of the story was getting to know bits and pieces his family's history.

The dialogue of the story was a bit overdone. Characters talked and then continued to explain what they meant. Authors need to learn to give their readers credit and allow them to come to their own conclusions, especially when the point is crystal clear. Another point on the dialogue: characters conversations didn't seem to fit with the situation. In one instance, a character is sitting on a fishing boat when her lover enters the scene. He approaches her, and she doesn't want anyone to know of their relationship. Instead of a short, terse conversation with the man, she engages him in a conversation about how they know the same people and where they are from. If I were in that situation, my mind wouldn't be on similar acquaintances but on getting him to leave me alone.  

The story lines of the different characters were often twisted and in-depth, and I was often left wondering about certain characters' stories. I don't feel like I learned anything about the main character, but many bits and pieces of the family history. This makes me wonder what the second and third books in the trilogy are going to bring. Will what he learned about his family somehow help him in his struggle to find happiness and peace? Will this new found knowledge prevent him from moving on? Will new demons find him after uncovering so many old, hidden family secrets?

The book was well written, and the premise was intriguing. I do wish the story line had moved on a little faster, but we will have to wait and see what book two brings. 

And The Winner Is...

Wow, I was so overwhelmed with responses that I don't even know where to start! Okay that is a bit false. I suppose I will have to learn how to run a giveaway and actually have people participate in it. I thought this would be fairly easy, just pick a number and guess. Hmm...

Well, at any rate, eFiction will also be giving away a copy of Jane Was Here. Look for details in the October issue. You can check it out on Amazon for Kindle or at the eFiction Website. While you are there, sign up to be a member. You can get to know other writers, others who read eFiction every month, and stay up to date on all of the ongoings at the magazine.

Oh, yeah, the winner. I suppose that was the point of the post! And the winner is...elizabethreinhardt.

Book Giveaway!!!

So, here it is. The first Books Reviews by Essie giveaway. I have a signed copy of Jane Was Here. If you haven't read the review, head on over and check it out. A very worthwhile book. :)

Since today is my birthday, and I feel that I am mourning the loss of my youth, I figured I should do something to cheer me up a bit. What better way than to giveaway a good book to one of my readers?

So here is the game. Guess my age. Simple. You can post it here in the comments. Of the people that guess correctly, I'll randomly choose a winner. If you know me,and you know my age, don't give it away, just post your answer. If no one guesses correctly, I'll pick the most flattering age. So choose wisely. No, just kidding. If no one guesses correctly, I'll randomly choose one person from all people who participated.

The game will run for 5 days. So I will choose a winner on September 22nd. Have fun!

Indie Author Candy Ann Little - The Unwilling Bride - A Romance Novel

Historial fiction...my first thought--ugh. I hate to say that historical fiction isn't my thing, because I've learned a lot about myself and my reading preferences in the recent past (if you remember I claimed that fantasy wasn't my thing, but I've found that it can be). That being said, historical fiction generally isn't my thing.

Getting into this book took quite some time and work. The main character drove me crazy with her over use of the words 'tis, 'twas, 'twill, 'twould, and the like. I realize that our language has changed over time, but it seemed a bit much when I was reading. The characters also didn't always use the Old English words. Sometimes, they 'forgot' and simply said 'it is'. 

Caitlin is a young woman of marrying age. She hasn't yet found a suitor, but quickly finds herself being forced into an arranged marriage with her enemy, an Englishman. Because of Caitlin's Irish heritage and birth, and her brother's death at the hands of the English, Caitlin finds the idea of marrying Dillon Cade most distasteful.

Caitlin's parents remain adamant, and the wedding goes on as planned. Caitlin and Dillon agree to an 'in name only' marriage. The agreement occurs only after a botched escape out of a bedroom window and weeks of pleading with her parents and Mr. Cade. 

After the wedding, Caitlin is horrible to Dillon, even after she learns the reason for the rushed, forced marriage. Caitlin's family is being forced back to Ireland, where they are considered traitors. Going back to Ireland isn't safe for anyone in the family, but Caitlin is the only child her parents can keep safe. Her brother Brogan must go with his parents. Caitlin insists that she would be better off in Ireland with her family, but it is clear from her worry that she knows better than to think that she would be safe had she gone with them. 

Caitlin changes drastically throughout the book, and it is a welcome transformation. She begins as a snotty, bratty, rich kid who never does anything that she is supposed to. She isn't a 'proper' lady and is always picking fights with Dillon. The changes that are seen in Caitlin happen slowly and sometimes she even shows regression when she is under a great deal of stress, as we all would regress at times. 

Dillon Cade is a perfect gentleman and seems to be the perfect man, but he has his faults as well. He is just better at keeping these things hidden, something Caitlin learns from.

There are a lot of characters introduced throughout this book, but keeping track of who was who and who did what wasn't too difficult. Aside from the romance (or non-romance as some may see it) the story has political overtones from the days of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. I also thought this would throw me off from enjoying the story line, but honestly, the story was enhanced by seemingly real history (I didn't look up all of the facts, and I'm no history buff) and the real-life, historical characters.

My biggest complaint about this book was (aside from the constant use of 'tis, 'twould, 'twas, and 'twill) was the mistakes I found littered throughout the book. Not just commas (which drive me crazy) but misspelled words, typos, and missing letters. Commas were, of course, the biggest offender, but missing periods were also on my list. This isn't atypical for some indie novels (and I've seen my share of mistakes in traditionally pubbed books, too) but if you want to sell, sell a lot, and reach a LOT of readers, having your novel professionally proofed is a must.

Every time Caitlin hurt Dillon, mouthed off to him, or called him a name, I hurt inside. Dillon married Caitlin to protect her, and he genuinely fell in love with her despite her bad attitude and poor manners. He loved her unconditionally and she threw it back in his face constantly. My heart broke for Dillon, and later for Caitlin.

I do love a good romance. I'll admit it. The Unwilling Bride didn't seem like it was going to deliver, but it did. I felt the jolts of fear, loss, and struggle through my body while reading; I felt the paralyzing hopelessness when things didn't work out; I felt the joy for the characters' happiness--no matter how temporary--and pain of their suffering. Another admission, I cried at the end. Not for Caitlin and Dillon, but for two minor characters, two very minor characters.

Not a bad pick for you romance fans out there. This is a moving story.

Paranormal Month at eFiction Magazine

Authors, have you submitted to eFiction yet? Well, even if you have, you can still submit another story for our October issue. The theme is Paranormal/Horror. We aren't too picky about what goes on in your story, just as long as it is scary, creepy, and blood chilling.

So what are you waiting for? The process is simple:

• Go to Submit a Story on our main website.
• Click on "Submit" under the short story heading.
• Upload your file (doc, docx, txt, or rtf).
• Enter the title of your story.
• Write a cover letter (one or two sentences about yourself, and a short (200 word) bio on yourself.
• Click the button that says "Submit to eFiction Magazine.

That is it. Nothing to it. The process is painless, I promise. Even if your story isn't picked for the issue, you have the opportunity to get amazing feedback and even workshop your piece if you join our online authors community (which is awesome).

So go, pick a story, and submit. I'll be waiting to read them!

Indie Author Sarah Kernochan - Jane Was Here

It seems that every time I read a new book I'm saying, "Wow, this was the best book that I've read in a LONG time." Jane Was Here was no different. I read it just after finishing up with Night Machines by Kia Heavey, and I was a little apprehensive because I didn't think I'd be able to get into a new book and new characters after getting to know Heavey's characters so well. (I generally have that problem after reading a really good, well written book.) Jane Was Here did not give me this problem.

When I began reading, I didn't understand the shape the story was taking, and I got a little annoyed. But I soon came to know the characters, even if I felt that, at first, they were thrown at me in quick succession. I had to keep flipping back to remember who some of the characters were.

After figuring out which characters were important, I was able to start truly enjoying this book. This book is so well worked together that I can't say too much about it without giving away some serious plot points.

A young woman shows up in a small town with no real memory of it, but she knows that she once lived there. She walks down the street and to a house. Knocking on the door, she tells the man Brett renting the house that she lives there. Brett is perplexed, but allows the woman in. Immediately, he is drawn to her, wants to comfort her, wants to protect her. His feelings for this woman are stronger than his feelings for his own son Collin who is with him for the summer.

Brett and his son are spending the summer in this small town on a whim. Brett doesn't know why he picked this town, but he cannot bring himself to leave. Over the course of the summer, he allows his son to spend all of his free time with a girl he met at the motel in town. His intentions were to use the summer to forge a relationship with Collin but falters at every attempt. Jane soon takes over his whole existence.

As Jane works to recover her memory, her recent past begins to catch up with her. Her family sends out a private detective to look for her. As she tries to dodge the PI, Jane is forced to tell Brett about her past.

***This next paragraph will be a bit spoiler-ish*** Jane finally confides in Brett that her family had her institutionalized for autism when she was a young child. She claims that she was born knowing that she wasn't in the right life and that these were not her parents; so, she did everything in her power to get them to not love her or bond with her. Eventually, she was placed in an institution. As a parent of a child with autism, I was a bit un-pleased with this explanation. Perhaps I'm over reacting, but it seems that autism is a trigger word and blanket explanation and excuse. Everyone uses it for everything. Brett's son, Collin, is also a bit of an odd ball, and I was drawn to thinking that he was meant to also be autistic. I find that autism is over used in all forms of media, and it perpetuates a stereotype that I wish would die.

This book was incredibly well written and edited. The one thing that I found that got under my skin, perhaps a bit too much, was a misquoted song. An excerpt from Smashing Pumpkins, "Bullet with Butterfly Wings", was misquoted. We all know that the song goes, "Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage". This bothered me so much because I was able to type "despite" into a Google search bar and the rest was auto-completed for me. Easy to check, bothersome to miss.

I had a hard time really liking or connecting with the characters in the book because their faults were so prominent. I didn't dislike them, I cared where the story went, but there wasn't any one character that I said, "Oh, I want her to be okay" or "I want everything to work out for him". The characters were what they were and they all deserved whatever it was that was coming to them. Somehow, you knew while you were reading, there was no stopping where this story was going, no matter what choices the characters made.

I feel that I'm not doing the characters or story justice because I don't want to give anything away. Reading the book was like making a mosaic. Each piece was important and without the proper placement, the story just wouldn't have come out right. The reader is left to discover each piece when the time is right.

Sarah Kernochan writes a well woven tale of a woman who cannot explain her past and how her past is shaping the future of a small town.