The Leaving, by Ruth Crews (OakTara)

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This is one of those books you know you're going to finish before you have any idea where the plot is going.  The writing is that fun.

The second in the "Gatekeeper" series, The Leaving picks up where Gatekeeper leaves off, with our heroine, Anna Merritt, a senior at Hope College, facing graduation and a highly uncertain future.  Having returned from England the term before--correction, most of her returned from England the term before.  Her heart remained behind.  And therein lies her conundrum.  Faced with the typical English-Lit major's fears of how on earth to market her vanilla degree, she does what many of us do: cling to the past, the known, the familiar and attractive.  In Anna's case, that's England.  But moreover, she clings to the hope of getting back to the UK as soon as possible. But how?  (the conundrum)

Each chapter begins alternately with a letter from Anna to her erstwhile companion in adventure at Oxford, Eddie, and his responses to her.  She bares her soul and its dreams to him, and he returns his wit and wisdom concerning where Anna might should be focusing her efforts; that is, where she is and the life she's living now, lest she at best miss it, at worst screw it up.  Undeterred, Anna presses on, barely tolerating her studies and her fellow students in her fixation on the isle across the Atlantic.  And she gets a littl annoying in that fixation, quite honestly.  But ya still gotta love her.

This is a tale of an inner journey, one that is so believably delivered that you wonder how much of it is autobiographical.  (Ruth...?)  So, if you're looking for jeeps blowing up, blood-dripping knives, or Lancaster County intrigue, read no more of this.  But if you enjoy an incredibly fresh, young, witty voice learning life and how it should be approached, well, click the above hyperlink and settle in for a chuckle and a shake of the head.

While it would be helpful to read Gatekeeper first for background character identification, it's not vital to enjoying The Leaving. The joy is in the present, not the past.

Oh, and if you are, like I am, an unabashed Anglophile, you'll get even more out of the matchless repartee between Anna and Eddie.  Cheers to Ms. Crews for quite a lovely read.
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Neat Stuff!

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This is brand-spanking new for me, so please be patient.  I've been invited to be part of a author "blog-hop."  For those of you who are old enough, like I am, to remember "sock hops"...well, this is nothing like that.

Dr. Barbara Lavi contacted me on Author Central in FaceBook and asked if I'd like to participate in a blog hop. I replied, "Sure!...What is it?"  (Note to self:  it's usually better to reverse the order of those two clauses.)  Anyway, I discovered through Barbara's patient tutelage that it's an opportunity for readers to meet new authors of all different genres--fiction and non-fiction alike--by linking information on our work to each other's blogs in kind of a serial fashion.  Right.

Actually, it looks like fun to me, but maybe you can leave a comment telling me how far off the deep end I've gone after the dust settles on this.

The object of the game?  Well, I answer ten questions about my most recent book, and I ask a few other authors with blogs to do the same on their most recent books.  I post my answers--along with other pithy stuff like this concise and coherent introduction--answer the questions, and then provide links to the other authors at the bottom of the page.  As the reader, once you've become enraptured by my clever answers and simply can't imagine yourself not reading onward, buying thousands of copies of my book, and then clicking the links to the other authors' blogs and do the same for them.  Well, okay, maybe not thousands, but you get the idea.

Sound easy?  Sure, easy for you.  But now I've got to find other author-bloggers who are either naive enough to dive in like I did, or astute enough to know that things like this can really be fun.  For your sake, I'll try to find more of the latter than the former.

So, here are the questions and here are my answers:

What is the working title of your book?

A picture is worth a thousand words, so here:
 

Where did the idea come from for the book?

 For Maria is the sequel to Katia.  It follows to minor characters from that story, characters who are really only briefly mentioned, but are very important.  For those of you who have not yet read Katia, click this link (if you like video trailers, here's one for Katia).  It automatically orders a copy from Amazon, so feel free to click it several times.  I'm kidding, I'm kidding!  It only takes you to the page on my website where you can read a synopsis of the book and see some great photos of scenes that are included in the story.  To read more about For Maria, click this link.  Go ahead.  I dare you.  :-)

What genre does your book fall under?

For Maria is actually a hybrid contemporary-20th-century historical.  There are parallel storylines in both settings.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

There is no question that Amy Adams has to play Madeline, the main character from the contemporary storyline.  That's my only prerequisite to the many Hollywood producers who I'm sure are on their way here this very moment to line up at my front door.  (Note to all:  Steven Spielberg gets first dibs).  As far as the main character from the historical period, Rosa Dudek, I'd have to say...hold on a minute, let me ask my wife...................okay, Jodie Foster; excellent actress and the eye color is perfect.  What do you say, Jodie?

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Madeline Sommers, a young journalist, makes it her single-focused mission to find her grandmother's long-lost twin girls, who disappeared in WWII, before it's too late.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

My book was recently released by OakTara, LLC, a small traditional publisher.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

Interestingly, it only took me 30 days to write the first draft of teh prequel Katia, but it took me nearly a year and a half to get For Maria down.  The subject matter was very research-intensive and, frankly, emotionally exhausting.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I'd have to say that Sarah's Key is closest, but For Maria is far more uplifting.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

As noted, For Maria is a sequel, so events from Katia inspired the idea.  However, the impetus to involve the Kindertransport in the historical storyline was due to research, which included making some wonderful friends of some of the people who lived through the events I portray in the book.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

If you like stories with a great balance of drama, romance, action, and humor, then you'll enjoy both Katia and For Maria.  Historically accurate, poignant, and honest, you'll remember these characters long after you turn the last page.

There!  That's me, now let me introduce you to three more authors whose work may interest you.  I cncourage you to visit their blogs by clicking their names.

Mr. Markus Heinze, non-fiction, who has written a must-read for parents on the controversial topic of infant immunizations and serious side-effects.

Mr. Bernie Dowling, from Down Under, who blogs to introduce readers to different styles and genres of books.

Mr. Tommy Ufert, a 46-year-old quadriplegic who writes and speaks inspirational messages has self-published a book, Adversity Builds Character.
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Disaster Status, by Candace Calvert (Tyndale)

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I recently found myself in the unenviable position of being way behind on my Calvert reading.  Quickly remedied by downloading Disaster Status to my Kindle, I was shortly on the mend.  And what better mend to be on than with this story?

Second in the "Mercy Hospital" series, Disaster Status steps away from its prequel, Critical Care, in theme and intensity, but not in quality.  Okay, maybe in quality, too, for as the theme and the tension wratchet up, so does Ms. Calvert's storytelling.

The story follows Erin Quinn home to California where she resumes her career as an ER charge nurse and her life as a care-giver for her widowed grandmother.  Erin carries family baggage that encases her heart and her mind away from all, including herself.  Her job and her grandmother are all the life she needs.  At least she thinks so...

The story hits the ground running with a major disaster involving a chemical spill.  The emergency situation is eventually resolved, but it leaves an undetected undercurrent in its wake that will resurface in a most unexpected way.  During the course of the incident, Erin collides repeatedly with fire Capt. Scott McKenna, a by-the-book, self-driven, overachiever who also carries family baggage:  living in the shadows of a herioc father and with the shadows of a self-perceived failure to protect those he loved the most.  His job and...well, his job is all he needs.  At least, he thinks so...

Thrown together whether they like it or not, oil and water seem better suited to each other than Erin and Scott, at least at first.  But as concern for others around them force their attention away from their own hang-ups, a curious bond begins to develop that neither of them wants or understands.  It isn't until a shocking crisis explodes onto the scene do they see themselves and each other for who they really are.

Ms. Calvert doesn't skim the surface of our sensibilities as so many romances do.  She dares to bring in a dark element, something sinister, that threatens everyone in the story either directly or indirectly.  There is an evil afoot that you're not quite sure what to make of throughout the tale, something you even find yourself pondering after closing of the novel's back cover.

Tightly written, heartwarming, inspiring, and thought provoking, Disaster Status is a great read.  Something a little different, something a little daring.  Bravo to Ms. Calvert for daring to be different, and for doing it so well.
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Harvest of Rubies, by Tessa Afshar (River North)

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Ancient history with a modern heart.

For some reason, I expected Biblical fiction when I downloaded Harvest of Rubies.  And sure, it touches an ancient Biblical figure (nope, you have to read it to find out who), but only as a minor character.  Instead, I found myself immersed in a tale of ancient Mesopotamia, complete with intrigue, action, and romance--in short, everything a novel like this should have.

With her love of Persian history and culture evident on every page, Ms Afshar has crafted yet another delightful story that brings to life the spirit and soul of an era long dead.  What's so great about this book, though, is that she's done so through the eyes of an unforgettable character, Sarah.  The thing about Sarah is...how do I put this?...well, you love her to death, but you're not quite sure whether you love her as you would a wife, a daughter, a best friend, or a sister.  Yeah, I know.  Maybe it's because Ms Afshar portrays her so well in all of those roles.

Sarah is a gifted linguist and scribe, something unheard of in a woman of ancient Persia.  Her cousin (the unnamed Biblical character) gets her an interview with the queen, who just happens to be in need of a senior scribe.  Introverted, plain-looking, and self-deprecating, Sarah immerses herself in her work.  She performs very well...too well, in fact.  To thank her for a particularly insightful service, the queen arranges a marriage for Sarah to a very upstanding and promising nobleman.  Sarah passes out when the queen announces the engagement, but not out of joyful surprise as the court interprets her reaction, but out of horror as her entire world--quiet, peaceful, solitary, and intellectually fulfilling--hits the floor as hard as she does.

The description of the disastrous wedding ceremony Ms Afshar delivers is priceless; the cover price of the book is worth that scene alone.  But it's the ensuing story, after Sarah bottoms out, that she begins her journey of personal restoration and true fulfillment--not in abandoning who she is and what she loves for the sake of tradition--but in perfecting that tradition through who she is and what she loves.  Traveling with a solid cast of supporting characters, Harvest of Rubies takes us on a journey framed around a character who will live in your heart on far beyond the turn of the last page.

Captivating story, skillfully crafted, delivered with great finesse.  This is a sure bet for lovers of ancient history and personal triumph.
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At Last!

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After a four-month delay, For Maria is finally scheduled for release on 15 September!  It can be ordered directly through www.oaktara.com (click on the Store tab to go to the book store) on that date, from me directly through my website at www.brucejudisch.com/for-maria.htm (use the Contact Me button at the bottom of the page) anytime now, or, after a couple of weeks for the online outlets to catch up, from Amazon.com, Christianbook.com, Barnesandnoble.com, etc.

It'll start out being available in hardcopy (paperback), but will eventually appear for Kindle, too.

Thanks for your patience.  I hope you'll find the wait to have been worthwhile.
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October Baby, by Eric Wilson (B&H Books)

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I'm sure October Baby the movie is wonderful, but, having read Mr. Wilson's novelization, I feel no overriding need to see it.  Experience has shown time and time again that the written page can attain a multidimensional property, depth of insight and characterization, richness of viewer/reader involvement, that the silver screen struggles--often in vain--to achieve.  Don't get me wrong, I can immerse myself into a great movie as much as the next guy.  But the film version would require a near-magical quality to approach what the author delivers in October Baby the book.

For those not yet acquainted with the story, Hannah, a high school student with aspirations for the stage, falters during a prime performance.  In fact, she passes out in the middle of one of her lines.  Attempts to discover the source of this and other niggling maladies that plague the otherwise seemingly healthy girl lead to a stark revelation.  Not only is she adopted, but she's the survivor of a botched abortion.  This knowledge sends her on a quest to find her birth mother, despite the protestations of her adoptive parents and the cautions of her best friend, Josh.  Still, Hannah, ultimately with Josh's help, embarks on her journey under the guise of taking a spring break trip to New Orleans with a group of friends; a trip that just happens to take her past the city in which she was born.

A cast of unique supporting characters colors the storyline with grit, hilarity, and poignancy brought to their fullest brilliance under the skilled pen of best-selling author, Eric Wilson.  It's quite apparent from the characterization and dialog that Mr. Wilson is very much at home with this genre.  He pulls you from the softness of your sofa onto the bumpy back seat of a dilapidated van trundling down the interstate toward the Big Easy, sharing the sights, smells, and sensibilities of teenagers on a lark.  Transports you from the comfort of your own existence into the troubled world of a young girl whose life has suddenly been turned upside down and now has no idea what part truth plays in it.  It just grabs you and doesn't let go at the turn of the last page.  If it doesn't grab you, you might want to check yourself for a pulse.

This tale relates one of the realities of abortion smothered by politcal correctness.  Those on the pro-abortion side will dismiss it as lopsided propaganda (as has already happened in reaction to the movie).  Those on the pro-life side will laud it for its honesty and fearlessness in addressing such a heart-wrenching issue.  Those in the middle, those who don't want to care...well, they'll continue not to care.  Maybe.
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Sound heavy?  No, not really.  The journey is often painful, but the destination is emotionally satisfying, like most great novels.  Highly recommended, especially for those in the middle.

Oh, and yeah, I'll see the movie.  I mean, you know...

And another 'oh'.  October Baby is due for release on September 1st.  Get in line.
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The Discovery, by Dan Walsh (Revell)

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Had to review this one for two reasons.  First, it's a hybrid contemporary-historical piece.  I love those.  I've written two of them.

Second, the historical part covers WW II, the Greatest Generation era.  I love that era.  I've written in 1.5 of them.  But then, this isn't about me--no, really.  I just have this weakness of wanting to identify with really good authors who write the kind of stuff I love to read, and with novels I'd really love to have written.

Dan Walsh and The Discovery fall very neatly into each of those categories, respectively.  Here's why.

First, the book.  Micheal Warner, an aspiring writer, has just lost his grandfather, Gerard Warner, a world-renown best-selling author. That's another reason I'd like to identify with this--(Stop it!  Sorry, back to the book).  Michael has inherited a sizable estate from his grandfather, including his historic house in Charleston, SC.  It's not the real estate Michael values, though.  It's the enduring spirit of his beloved--and reclusive--grandfather and writing mentor that pervades every room.  But Gerard Warner has left his grandson something more than an aura.  He's left a manuscript--yellowed with age, never before seen--for Michael to find.  And read.  And, well, discover.

Mr. Walsh takes us back to the historical period using a book within a book, a story within a story.  Michael settles back to read with the notion of publishing it into what would be sure to be a best seller.  I mean, a secret manuscript by a renown author coming to light after his death; how could it miss?  But what lies between the age-tinged pages, revelation after revelation, urges Michael back forward in his seat.  Why?  To tell you more would spoil it.  And you don't want me to do that.

Second, the author.  Bravo to Mr. Walsh for penning so well an unforgettable tale with equally unforgettable characters.  His gentle prose glides the reader along effortlessly; his writing voice, though unique, never interfering with the story.  The tale delivers bittersweet poignancy and romance, but not without action, that settle on your mind and spirit in an emotionally satisfying way.  A thoroughly enjoyable read.  Highly recommended.
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