A Beautiful Truth by Colin McAdam

Release Date - September 2013

Soho Press

Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth

As A Beautiful Truth was set in Vermont and Florida, I found myself intrigued with Colin McAdam's latest novel. Part of this came from a documentary I watched years ago about a Canadian sanctuary created for rescued chimpanzees. The Fauna Foundation is a real place, though last I knew they do not welcome visitors so as not to stress the chimps. I can't find the name of the documentary, but I'll update if I can find it.

Now to the novel. The Vermont setting takes place not too far from me. A Vermont couple, unable to have a child of their own, adopt a chimpanzee named Louee. Eventually, Louee grows up and attacks his owner and a friend (search Travis, a chimp in Connecticut, and the victim/Charla Nash). At that point, the couple have no choice but to send him to a sanctuary in Florida. There Louee is suddenly thrust into a world where he is surrounded by monkeys instead of humans and adapting isn't easy.

I wanted to love A Beautiful Truth, but in the end, I really only liked it. The story makes frequent switches between characters, so you have to pay attention to who is talking. At times, humans are telling the tale, but at others the viewpoint shifts to the chimp. Having all the shifts made it hard for me to relate to anyone in the novel.

While I admit this is nitpicky, I also found myself struggling with the premise because owning a monkey without express approval from the state commissioner is illegal. I know of a man who was arrested and charged for having a baby alligator. I've never heard of anyone getting permission to have a monkey, and as people can't even have a hedgehog, I highly doubt a monkey would ever be allowed. Knowing that, I found it hard to believe Louee would have ever ended up in the state to begin with.

In the end, I appreciate the author's story, but the delivery simply didn't work for me.

Cut to the Bone by Jefferson Bass

Release Date - September 24, 2013

Jefferson Bass
William Morrow

Book Review by Bob Walch

Dr. Bill Brockton, the brilliant and ambitious head of the University of Tennessee’s Anthropology Department, is ready to open a new research facility that has certainly opened some eyes. The forensic research the lab will engage will be cutting edge (no pun intended), but it has made some folks in the community uneasy.

To complicate matters, a series of murders create some uncomfortable questions for Brockton since there seems to be a link to some of his past investigations. As the corpse count mounts, not only is time of the essence but it also appears there is a pattern here that points to some shattering revelations about Brockton.

The Body Farm series has both entertained and fascinated those readers interested in forensics. This comes as no surprise because not only have the novels been well plotted and the characters believable but the science behind the series has been quite accurate.

Of course, this is no surprise when you realize that Dr. Bill Bass, half of the writing team dubbed “Jefferson Bass”, is himself a world-renowned forensic anthropologist who founded the world’s first laboratory devoted to the study of human decomposition.

Cookbook Review - Ivan Ramen by Ivan Orkin

Release Date - October 29, 2013

Ivan Orkin
Ten Speed Press

Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth

Years ago, shortly after her death, I watched a movie (Ramen Girl) starring Brittany Murphy who, while dealing with a break up, enters a Japanese ramen shop and falls madly in love with the dish. She becomes obsessed with learning how to cook it, but the owner/chef doesn't want an apprentice. She persists and he gives her a job cleaning the restaurant. Her persistence eventually pays off, and he starts teaching her the art. I remember the one comment I had was "Why can't we have real ramen here?"

Since then, my area has seen a ramen restaurant open, very recently in fact, but I can't get past the dozens of reviews that state the chef uses dried ramen noodles. That's not what I expected, so I haven't been. My heart longs for a taste of real ramen, and thanks to Ivan Orvin's new book, I'll have that chance.

Ivan Ramen is part autobiography and part cookbook. The writing is fresh and witty, so that immediately drew me in. Then I hit the recipes and started planning. It gives me the guidance I need to cook ramen from scratch. That's more like it!

What amazed me is how well the author drew me in to his life in Asia and his first experiences with ramen. After reading Ivan Ramen, I found myself longing for that same experience. Financially, that's not in the cards at that point, but cooking ramen at home is going to be the next best thing. Kudos to Ivan Orkin for sharing his story and making homemade ramen seem like a very reasonable kitchen adventure.

All The Pieces by Mary E. Kingsley

Release Date - May 2013

Mary E. Kingsley

Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth

All the Pieces tells a tale that takes some getting used to. The story starts with one character, bounces to another, and then keeps progressing until the entire tale is told.

Out of the darkness came a stranger. All Sary Ann knew was that the stranger handed her an ailing infant, and Sary Ann was determined to save that infant's life. Named Laidy, Sary Ann became a mother to that child, and no one could figure out where the child came from or why she was brought to Sary Ann's door.

Laidy goes on to have her own children. Anna Lee, nine years old, simply wants strawberry jam with her toast, but her mother is hesitant to let her have it, as it is the last jar made by the late Sary Ann.. When Laidy crumples to the floor screaming, Anna Lee takes off and ends up finding out the truth about her mother's past.

This is a short novella that doesn't take long to read at all. At 65 pages, I had the story read within an hour. The writing is detailed and definitely captures the setting, the Appalachians starting in the 1920s and reaching the Vietnam War. It's an enjoyable tale, but as previously stated, you need to be prepared for the bouncing around. Once I had all the characters down, it became easier, but given that it is such a short story, I was a good way into the book before I found myself reaching a rhythm where I knew the characters and their relationships to one another.

Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen

Release Date - October 2013

Lynn Cullen
Gallery Books

Book Review by Bob Walch

The tumultuous life of Edgar Allan Poe continues to fascinate authors and provide fodder for new novels. Lynn Cullen is the latest person to fall under the spell of the famous American poet and writer. In this story Cullen focuses on Frances Osgood, a struggling poet and mother of two children, who falls under Poe’s spell. 

 

Osgood meets the illustrious author of “The Raven” at a literary gathering and she is surprised that Poe has some knowledge of her work. A mild flirtation is followed by a seduction and then an illicit affair. As Osgood falls for her complicated, married lover, the situation becomes rather volatile as Virginia Poe, the frail wife of the writer, befriends Osgood. 

 

At this point the story becomes as bizarre and twisted as one of Poe’s famous short stories. With the fates of these two women now intertwined, the tale of this romantic triangle takes some unexpected and surprising turns. 

 

In the “Author’s Note” at the back of the book Cullen writes that when she began writing this novel her intention was “not to write a shivery tale”. That may have been the plan but that’s not how things turned out. You’ll discover what I mean once you begin reading this gothic story of misguided love.

Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Tilia Klebenov Jacobs

Release Date - June 2013

Tilia Klebenov Jabobs
Linden Tree Press

Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth

It's been many years since Tsara Adelman has seen her uncle. Now that both of her parents have died, Tsara and her brother decide to take up the uncle's invitation to visit his estate home for a weekend. Tsara has no idea of the trouble she's about to face.

Mike Westbrook wants nothing more than to have his six-year-old son returned to the safety of his arms. He kidnaps Tsara from her room one night in hopes of being able to secure the safe return of his son. Problems occur when Tsara's uncle hires two rogue cops to help him keep his kidnapping a secret and make sure both Mike and Tsara do not live to talk about his crimes. Mike must rely on his years of military training in order to keep himself and Tsara safe.

Wrong Place, Wrong Time is a fast-paced novel with plenty of twists. The copy I read was close to 500 pages, though Amazon has the book listed as being just over 400 pages. Given that, the final editing may have cut a number of pages, unless it's just a formatting issue. I am thinking that if pages were cut, it could well take care of the one issue I had with the novel, and that was that there were times things dragged on to a point I felt some of the sections were unnecessary.

The first half of the novel covers the kidnapping, and their trek through the New Hampshire mountains, turf that I know well. I loved the setting because I do know it well. The author does a great job capturing the wooded terrain. The remainder of the novel deals with the aftermath, and Tsara's emotional struggle as she blames Mike for putting her life at risk, but also feels for him because she has two similarly aged children.

Taking the story beyond the kidnapping and looking into the future is what ended up making Wrong Place, Wrong Time stand out. It's why I think it's a definite must-read.

Delectable by Adrianne Lee

Release Date - September 2013

Adrianne Lee
Forever Yours

Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth

After his father's unexpected death, Quint McCoy regretted never taking the time to go fishing with him. It's not like his dad didn't ask regularly. Quint shuts everyone out of his life, including his wife, and takes off for the wilds of Alaska where he does nothing but fish.

With no word from Quint, his mother decides to expand her soon-to-open pie shop, taking over Quint's real estate office. She employs Quint's wife, Cailee to help design the shop. When Quint suddenly returns, Quint's mom has a heart attack when she overhears Cailee and Quint discussing divorce.

With the grand opening looming in the distance, Quint is not about to let his mom down. Cailee adores her mother-in-law and will not let her down either. Despite their differences, the pair team up to get the launch of the pie business off the ground. It's not the easiest task in the world when Quint's mom was the pie shop's pastry chef.

Delectable is a sweet romance that takes a broken romance and puts it on track to either crash and burn or find the renewal it needs. Readers are kept guessing on just what will happen.

Characters for future Big Sky Pie romance novels are introduced in Delectable. I can't say this is my favorite romance of all times, after all, there are so many. I can say that this novel is well worth every penny and left me interested in what will happen next in this charming town.

Just One Day by Sharla Lovelace

Release Date - October 16, 2013

Sharla Lovelace
Beyond the Page Publishing

Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth

When her boyfriend proposes to her, Andie Fremont is stunned. She's comfortable with him, but his proposal never once mentioned the word love. He gives her 24 hours to come up with an answer. She uses that time and heads off to a place that once meant the world to her.

After pulling into a diner where she plans to splurge and eat things her boyfriend doesn't allow, Andie is stunned to find herself stranded in the diner with the owner, a man she had a one night stand with in her college years. The attraction between the pair is as powerful now as it was then, and Andie soon finds making this decision is not going to be easy.

Just One Day is very short, just over 100 pages. While the author does a great job building the characters and their relationships, the ending came so abruptly that I was left wondering if I missed something. That's the biggest issue with this novel. I understand it was a short story, but of all the short stories I've read, things reach a conclusion, they're not just left hanging.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Release Date - June 2012

Gillian Flynn
Crown

Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth

Every year, Nick's wife Amy sets up a treasure hunt for their anniversary. She leaves him the clues, and he sets off on a quest to figure out the clues. This year, their fifth anniversary, things are ominous. Nick arrives home after a neighbor contacts him to say his front door is wide open, and his cat is outside. There, Nick finds his house in shambles, and Amy is no where to be found.

Nick is desperate to find out what happened. As the public and even police begin to suspect Nick killed his wife, the reader is also left to wonder if Nick is capable of killing, especially as his lies are revealed, or if there is something more to this story.

I'd heard all the buzz over Gone Girl, but I never found time to read it until recently. Now that I have, I have sat for days trying to decide what I think.

Gone Girl is a stunning novel, but it's also maddening. The characters drove me crazy. They're deranged, twisted, and unforgettable. I really liked Nick. Then as Amy's diaries started finding their way into the story, I know longer knew what I thought. Just short of the second part when the story turns to Amy, I suddenly figured it out. At that point, I couldn't stop reading the novel, but I started really hating certain characters too.

One thing is certain. If you like psychological suspense and want to read a novel that draws you in and both infuriates and tugs at  your heart, Gone Girl is a winner.

Everybody's Got a Story by Heather Wardell

Release Date - July 2013

Heather Wardell
CreateSpace

Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth

After her boyfriend assaults and rapes her, Alexa is ready to start a new life in Toronto, far from New York City where everyone knows her story. In Toronto, Alexa soon learns that no matter where you are, you can't escape your problems. She cannot escape, so she must learn how to love and trust herself and others before she'll feel whole.

Everybody's Got a Story is such a gripping read. I didn't really know what to expect, but in the end, I was hooked. Alexa's story is graphic, but written in a way that it's paired with lighthearted moments to help break up the tension. As Alexa embraces life in Toronto, I found myself truly hoping she'd find the life she deserved.

This is the 12th book in the Toronto series. It's the first book I've read in this series, so it does work well as a stand-alone novel. Given that, I am intrigued in reading other stories. Characters from previous books do find their way into this book. It will be neat to go back in time and learn their backgrounds.

The Thicket by Joe R. Lansdale

Release Date - September 2013

Joe R. Lansdale
Mulholland Books

Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth

Sixteen-year-old Jack Parker's had a little too much experience with death. His grandmother died in a tragic farm accident. His parents just lost their fight against smallpox. His grandfather dies in a vicious attack while transporting his grandchildren to their aunt's house.  Now the same men that murdered his grandfather have his 14-year-old sister, Lula, and Jack's not going to walk away. He's determined to save his sister.

At the nearest town, Jack learns that the same group of men murdered the sheriff, so it's up to Jack and a pair of bounty hunters to track them down and save Lula. One sheriff, Shorty, is a sharp-shooting dwarf, while the other Eustace brings with him an unusual traveling companion - a 600 pound hog. The trio set off to save Lula and form what becomes a lasting friendship.

From the start, the storytelling is what caught my attention. If you've seen the movie Big Fish, it had that same quality. I never knew what would happen next, laughed repeatedly, and sometimes wondered about the absurdity of things that did happen to young Jack. It's one of the better books I've read and one I will not forget anytime soon.

The Tulip Eaters by Antoinette van Heugten

Release Date - October 29, 2013

Antoinette van Heugten
MIRA/Harlequin

Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth

 Nora de Jong eagerly returns home after her shift as a surgeon at a local hospital. She's ready to spend time with her six-month-old daughter and relieve her mother of babysitting duties. Instead, Nora finds her mother's body, she's been shot, the body of a stranger, and her infant is gone. Police begin their investigation, but the dead man's ID was a forgery, and in the 1980s, DNA testing just wasn't the same. With little to go on, the police quickly run out of ideas.

After going through her mother's things, Nora finds her mother's been hiding a secret and that the strange man might not have been a stranger after all. To learn the truth about her family's past, Nora must head to Amsterdam and unravel events from WWII. Only then does she stand a chance of saving her child.

The Tulip Eaters blends history and the present day (though that present day is really historic to many people today). Nora is a determined mother, and, as a mother, I can see her reasoning for taking charge when the police seemed to have hit a dead-end.

There is more mystery and suspense to this novel than romance, but there is a touch of romance, too. Mostly towards the middle and end of the book. The romantic aspect plays a lesser role than Nora's quest to find her daughter and unravel her family's past.

Overall, this is a gripping novel that kept me involved in the story. I read the story in one afternoon and am so glad I did.

Human Remains by Elizabeth Haynes

Release Date - August 2013

Elizabeth Haynes
HarperCollins

Book Review by Bob Walch

When she discovers the decomposing corpse of a neighbor, Annabel Hayer is taken aback because she realizes that apparently no one really cared enough about the elderly woman to check up on her from time to time. A bit of a loner herself, Annabel is struck by the fact that this may not be an isolated occurrence.

Since she works as a police analyst Annabel decides, out of curiosity, to check the data base and see how often this type of sad event occurs. She’s shocked to discover a surprising number of individuals of all ages and walks of life have wasted away in a manner similar to her neighbor.

Deciding to do a little investigating herself to see what is going on here, Annabel finds a circuitous trail leading to another “loner”, a man named Colin. Is this the clever mastermind behind these deaths that have remained beneath the official police radar because there doesn’t seem to be any violence involved? 

 

Using an alternating first person narration that places the reader into the heads of both Annabel and Colin, Human Remains is a chilling thriller that shows not only how vulnerable people who live alone can be but also how they can be preyed upon without anyone ever realizing what is happening.

A fascinating and troubling character study, you’ll not soon forget these two unusual adversaries.

God Must Be Weeping by J.D. Winston

Release Date - January 31, 2013

BoulevarDream

Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth

Montgomery "Monty" Mason is the storyteller in God Must Be Weeping. He's a journalist who ditches his career to enlist and serve his country in WWII. His mother, she's already lost loved ones to war, is beside herself but will not stand in his way. From there, the story progresses through Monty's experiences from the round of tests to actual battle.

Along the way, he forms a lasting friendship with Hunter, a soldier with little fear and a little recklessness; Mako, a soldier whose background is a little more sheltered than the others; and Mo, a man from the south who struggles with the war due to his religion. When they're all sent to the Pacific, their friendships are put to a very real, very emotional test.

It took me a while to get into the groove with God Must Be Weeping. As the story starts out, you don't know much about the narrator, even his name. It's the scene at his mother's home that started to draw me in. The story itself is incredible descriptive and a pretty accurate account to an extent.

My issue is that I grew up listening to the story of my uncle who was a POW in Asia for two years. I know some of the horrors he experienced, though not even he talked about them all. Some of the brutalities, he took them to his grave. When some soldiers are taken prisoner and given orders like "Prisoner, you won't like the way we get information." That part ended up drawing me from the story. My uncle once told us that one of the hardest parts of being held prisoner was that the captives never spoke English. They had no idea what was being said. I started to doubt that a commandant like the one depicted here would have been kind enough to speak English to the hostages.

Despite that one niggle, if you like war stories and want one that focuses on the realities of war, this is still a solid choice.

Self-Help Review - Why Do I Feel This Way? by Dina L. Wilcox

Release Date - December 2012

Mill City Press

Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth

Everyone grieves differently. When my aunt died, I grieved while she was still in the hospital. I knew after seeing her that she didn't have long, and listened to other family members saying she'd pull through, though it was clear that was not going to be the case. Three years later, her husband is finally moving on, but I also listen to my mother grieving from time to time. That's one of the points that the author of Why Do I Feel This Way? is making.

Dina L. Wilcox isn't spouting professional tips in her self-help guide. She's been there. While so many books on grieving are written by psychologists or psychiatrists, it's not as common to find one written by a person going through the grieving process. To me, that makes this book stand out. Knowing the author has experienced everything she's talking about adds a layer of honesty that few self-help guides manage to tackle.

The book covers nine chapters. Among them are handy lessons on "We Are What We Feel" leading up to the "Raising Healthy Voices." The author discusses how she felt after her husband's death and the extremely long grieving process that followed. There's an appendix of mental exercises in the end, and they lead to one of the most important portions of this book - listening to yourself.

Book News: Q&A With William Gladstone

2013 La Jolla Writer’s Conference 

Dates: November 1st to 3rd, 2013

www.lajollawritersconference.com

LJWC Author Profile:

Q & A with Renowned Literary Agent, Author, and Club of Budapest trustee, William Gladstone

Sometimes accomplished people can be so understated that we often don’t know who really lives in our own backyard. Bill Gladstone is just such a person. A Yale and Harvard trained cultural anthropologist who traveled the world in search of mysteries, Gladstone is considered an international expert on indigenous cultures and the true meaning behind 2012 and its rippling impact on our world moving forward. Co-producer of the highly-acclaimed film, TAPPING THE SOURCE, as a literary agent, Mr. Gladstone has represented some of the most respected and influential authors of our time, including Eckhart Tolle, Deepak Chopra, and Barbara Marx Hubbard. As a trustee for the prestigious Club of Budapest, Gladstone collaborates with some of the greatest thought leaders of our time. And as an author, Bill’s newest novel, The Power of Twelve (sequel to his bestselling Novel, The Twelve), hits stores October 1^st.

The Power of Twelve is a Dan Brown meets Michael Crichton meets Steve Berry.

The year 2012 didn’t mark the end of civilization as many had mistakenly predicted. Rather, it marked a turning point in human consciousness, a shift toward a more humanistic, less violent existence. But not if Arnold Wheeler can help it.

In The Power of Twelve, William Gladstone takes readers on a roller coaster adventure featuring alternate earths, characters with whom we can all relate, and a fact-based examination of the real meaning of the upcoming Mayan cycle. Part science-fiction, yet steeped in reality, part philosophical exploration, and all adventure, The Power of Twelve will keep readers turning the pages while its provocative subtext will leave them thinking a bit differently about the future.

We recently had the pleasure of interviewing with one of the literary world’s most influential members.

1. You have been an agent, publisher, author, and an innovator in the publishing industry. What is it

about publishing that draws you?

I was born into this industry; my father founded Arco Publishing in New York City in 1936. I have always loved reading books and have enjoyed writing even more. My mother was a devoted reader who read the entire Wizard of Oz series to me as a young child. She collected of what she referred to as second rate Victorian writers; her collection was gifted to Columbia University. My mom loved books; my dad saw books as a commercial product. The combination of seeing books as both a way to make a living and a way to experience the world and impact others through writing has made me a devoted agent, writer and publisher.

2. What is the most profound change you have seen in publishing in the past decade?

The last decade has been all about ebooks and print on demand. About fifteen years ago I helped launch the first ebook and first print-on-demand book companies. Clearly those have been the two most important new revenue-generating developments of the last decade. What do you expect to remain the same? We will still have the five major book publishers publishing the majority of bestselling books. There will still be book stores. But the percentage of revenue from print book sales will continue to decline.

3. As an agent, what do you look for in an author and a book? I like to represent courageous and talented

people who are dedicated to making a positive difference in the world. I have represented many first-time authors but with rare exception must now limit myself to working with authors with large established fan bases.

4. You live here in north county San Diego. As an agent, does it matter that you are not in New York?

When I first moved to North County in 1979, it was a long shot that I would survive as a literary agent. All the major publisher and agents were in New York, and my chances of success were quite small. But I lucked into representing books about technology, and it became an advantage that I was in California where all the technology experts were living and writing. Now, with email and other technology it is no longer essential that

major literary agents be based in New York. One or two trips a year to New York is now sufficient to enjoy the same access to editors that New York agents have.

5. How difficult is it for you to change professional hats from agent to author? And which role do you

prefer and why?

I like the variety of being both an agent and an author. As an agent. I never know what author or publisher is going to call me and what new project I will be representing or which title I represent has just won a major book award or appeared on a bestseller list. As a writer there is nothing better than writing words that inspire not just your readers but yourself as an author. This is why I will continue to both write and agent for many years to come.

6. You write both fiction and non-fiction. For purposes of process, what do you find to be the

commonality between the two; and what is the biggest difference?

Good writing is good writing, and both require focus and the ability to communicate ideas. It is far easier and faster to write non-fiction than fiction. Fiction requires greater planning and delicacy. With non-fiction you create an outline and follow it. With fiction there are unexpected events that can dramatically change your initial writing plans. Characters can come alive in unexpected ways requiring, in some instances, major alterations in plot.

7. You have co-authored and authored independently. What is the major difference, and which do you

prefer?

Much easier to write on my own. I like my co-authors and enjoy working with them, but my own pace of writing is very fast, so just easier to work alone. Even when working alone I work closely with an editor, so on one level I am never working alone. The collaborative nature of writing should never be underestimated. One of the unique aspects of co-authoring is the chance to learn from other writers. I learned a great deal working with Jack Canfield as his co-author on The Golden Motorcycle Gang and look forward to future collaborations with other authors should the opportunity arise.

8. Is there a thread that runs through all your books, and if so, what is it?

The basic thread that runs through all of my writing is that to be alive is a magical experience. There are fundamental laws and truths that govern the universe and in all my writing I explore these truths.

9. How does your training in cultural anthropology play into your new book, The Power of Twelve and its

prequel, The Twelve?

I have lived with indigenous peoples on multiple continents. As an anthropologist I learned to ask questions first and only offer judgments after careful analysis of all data. I also learned that there is wisdom among all peoples and that fundamental human characteristics are shared universally. I explored the works of the French structural anthropologist Claude Levi Strauss and came to the conclusion that there are aspects of the human mind and the human experience which are fundamental to all peoples and perhaps fundamental to the essential purpose and meaning of all of life and the evolution of consciousness.

10. What do you want your readers to take away from The Power of Twelve?

Bottom line is I want them to enjoy the book and be entertained. In addition, I believe that The Power of Twelve will accelerate the dialogue that must happen if we are to alter the current course of human history. I love this planet and appreciate so much what our present world cultures have created. There is real danger of losing the essence of nobility and greatness as the world continues to overemphasize material values. It is time for each one of us to demonstrate courage in our daily lives and to put an end to wrong-headed thinking and fear-based action which have put our entire world at risk.

Read more from William Gladstone at www.williamgladstone.org.

Check out The Power of Twelve

Learn more about the La Jolla Writer’s Conference at www.lajollawritersconference.com