Spontaneous Review: Disappearing in Plain Sight

Disappearing in Plain Sight by Francis Guenette
Review by Anna Belfrage

I was recommended this book by a friend, who suggested I might find it more worthwhile to read this than watch my way through numerous movies when on one of my long flights. Boy, am I glad she did, because from the moment I started this, I was utterly captivated.

Ms. Guenette writes a rich prose, with vivid descriptions that transport you to hot summer days by Crater Lake, somewhere in British Columbia. Trees march up the mountains in multiple hues of green, gardens are filled to the brim with colours and scents, and everywhere is the lake, a splash of deep blue surrounded by forest-clad slopes. After reading this book, I am actually considering emigration – I could do with living in such splendid surroundings.

Add to Ms. Guenette’s descriptive talents a complex plotline and several well-developed characters, and you have a great novel. Reading Disappearing in Plain Sight is like listening to "Pathetique" by Beethoven: a distinct measured pace where the sheer brilliance of the recurring themes is showcased against an underlying melancholia.

To the isolated location of Crater Lake arrives Lisa-Marie, a confused and hurting teenager. So far in life, she has had no reason to trust any adults other than her grandmother, but due to circumstances her grandmother is not in a position to cope, and so Lisa-Marie is sent off to live with her aunt, ethereal Bethany. If Bethany is ethereal, her partner Beulah is anything but, all tough attitude and butch ways. Beulah is less than thrilled at having Lisa-Marie foisted upon them, and there is palpable tension between Beulah and Lisa-Marie.

Beulah and Bethany live on one of three neighbouring lots bordering Crater Lake. Closest to Bethany and Beulah is Izzy, who lives in what everyone calls “the main cabin” – an architectural gem that has me salivating. Izzy is a widow since some years back,  and despite being a counsellor at a nearby camp for disturbed young people, she has not fully come to grips with the loss of her husband, Caleb,  this due to a rather complex mix of guilt, grief and anger. Anger because Caleb trusted her implicitly, so certain that she would never leave him, grief because he is dead, leaving her bereft, guilt because she was considering sleeping with another man just at the moment of Caleb’s death.

On the other side of Izzy is Liam, Caleb’s best friend. Liam is seriously in love with Izzy, but Caleb’s ghost stands between them, making it difficult for Liam to express to Izzy what he feels. Besides, there’s the complication of golden boy Justin, a nineteen-year-old who helps Izzy in her garden. Izzy has counselled Justin at the camp and considers him one of her successes. She is also quite aware that the boy is infatuated by her, but instead of nipping this in the bud, she basks in his adoring looks – maybe because Justin reminds her of a young Caleb.

Eerily present throughout despite being dead is Caleb. This larger-than-life man was the pillar of everyone’s life in this little community, and his death has caused serious unbalance. Caleb is everywhere; he sits invisible in the garden house when Izzy serves up her famous salsa cruda (a cold tomato dish), he floats above the heads of the participants in the little book club, he is a constant in Izzy’s thoughts – and Liam’s, and Beulah’s. There’s a beautiful scene where Izzy finds the birthday card Caleb wrote to her some days before he died, thereby causing guilt to more or less tear her apart – again.

Lisa-Marie is immediately attracted to Justin. So far, her experiences with the other sex have been borderline abusive, but with Justin she feels safe, drawn to his sun-kissed good looks but even more to his kind eyes. And it takes her like ten nano-seconds to realise Justin is in love with Izzy, and just about as long to understand Izzy rather enjoys his adoration. Not that Justin has any hopes when it comes to him and Izzy, but his heart is too full of Izzy to allow much space for Lisa-Marie – and he is too nice a person to use Lisa-Marie as blatantly as Izzy uses him. The stage is set for a complex story that twists and turns towards the inevitable end, three short summer months that will leave their mark on every single one of the main characters.

In retrospect, very little “happens” in this novel – and yet I feel utterly wrung by the time I close it.  Ms. Guenette does an excellent job of portraying the emotional roller-coasters of each individual character without ever becoming judgemental. Instead, Ms. Guenette depicts people as most of us are: fallible and weak at times, filled with inner strength and resolve at others.

I will add Disappearing in Plain Sight to that rather restricted number of books I will never forget – and boy am I glad that there is a sequel, already on my Kindle!

About the author
Francis Guenette is a resident of British Columbia, and her love for the region she lives in shines through in her writing. She lives in an off-the-grid cabin which is powered with alternative energy sources and dedicates most of her time to writing with the panorama of the lake spread out before her window. Her location is remote enough for there to be daily bear visits – an ideal environment for a writer! Read more about Francis on her blog.

Disappearing in Plain Sight is available on Amazon US and Amazon UK.

Anna Belfrage is the author of five published books, all part of The Graham Saga. Set in the 17th century, the books tell the story of Matthew Graham and his time-travelling wife, Alex Lind. Anna can be found on Amazon, Twitter, Facebook and on her website.

If you would like Anna to review your book, please see our submissions tab above.

Louise E. Rule Interviews PETER ST. JOHN for The Review's Author Interview

Welcome to  The Review's Author Interview

The author who is joining us for an interview today is Peter St. John, author of the Gang series.

Welcome to The Review Interview, Peter, and thank you for taking time out to have a chat with me about your books.

Below is an excerpt from the product description for Peter's latest book in paperback, Gang Warfare, which is due to be published in May by Silver Wood Books Ltd.

Gang Warfare front cover

 "Gang Warfare is a novel for all readers from nine to ninety-nine.

An orphan, evacuated from the World War II bombing of London, comes to live with his pious aunt in an English village, a bag of liquorice allsorts is knocked out of his hand in the school playground. This trivial incident ignites a series of events leading to a breakdown of relations in the local community."

The first question that I would like to ask you is; what was it that made you decide to write your Gang series? What was the drive behind these books?

My original intention was to write a series of short stories about happenings in an English village during World War II. I had never before tried my hand at fiction, so I began by writing a story about the problems caused when a huge tree, blown down in a storm, was cut up for firewood. This seemed to go fairly well at about 2,000 words, so I started another story about bullying at school.

By the time this was finished, it had grown to 100,000 words which is hardly a short story! Even so, this effort encouraged me to start a second novel, and lo and behold, the original short story abut the tree and the firewood became a critical pivot in the plot for my second novel, Gang Warfare.

Many readers wonder about the research of books. How difficult was the research for your books?

Itchy & Stinky at the gate

Most of the characters and situations in the six Gang books are drawn from memory. Thus very little research was required, except to verify the dates of certain events in 1940-1942, and to confirm the details of a few places in London.

Researching these events and places was easy and pleasurable. I met many helpful people who kindly offered much useful information and suggestions.

My two other novels, Triple Agent and Siberian Summer, called for considerable research, but this was mainly done at home using information obtained from local libraries, from purchased books, and from the internet.

Your latest novel Gang Warfare is described as being... "a novel for all readers from nine to ninety-nine". Would you like to tell our readers why you think that your latest book has such a wide appeal, Peter?

Big Ben

In the Gang books the principal actors are children and the narrator is a young lad. This might lead one to believe that the books would appeal mainly to children, but there are several reasons why I feel they may appeal to children and adults alike:

I had no particular readership in mind when writing, but rather sought to tell stories with wide appeal in which there are heroes, heroines, and villains of all kinds and ages. Whilst the stories are about children's gangs, they also involve many other people within a small community and describe their human, lively, and sometimes humorous, interactions.

I am also mindful that there are now six books published in the Gang series, and favourable feedback has come from readers of all ages, including somewhat nostalgic comment from senior citizens.

Could you please tell our readers about the main character in your book? For example, Jenno Bryce, and her brother, Stanley "Braces" Bryce. Are they based on someone you know, or are they fictional?

The principal character and narrator is a young orphan evacuated from the London blitz. All the events and adventures in the village of Widdlington are seen through his eyes.

Jenno is a feisty lass whose garden adjoins that of the narrator. They go to the same school but Jenno is a year younger. The fence between the two gardens marks the boundary between the territories of rival gangs. Fraternisation between the gangs is frowned upon. This, however, does not prevent a growing friendship across the fence. Jenno's year-older brother, "Braces", is in the same class as our hero, which sometimes influences the unfolding of events.

Jenno's Characters

All the characters in Widdlington are drawn, more-or-less, from childhood memories of real people. I say more-or-less, because some combine characteristics of two or more persons. On the other hand, a few of the characters are drawn almost completely from my imagination.

Because the Gang books are about a whole village community, there are a great many characters involved. Some play more important roles than others. Part of the challenge in writing this series, was to provide each character with a clearly defined personality and give each one a distinctive voice. It was also important to be consistent with village routine in wartime, where certain activities take place only on particular days and in well-established ways.

Braces Jumping over Emmerline P

Many authors have a strict routine for writing. Do you have a strict routine for your writing process, and do you have a special place where you like to write?

I have no routine, but once I get started on a book I become so absorbed in the unfolding of the plot that other activities tend to be put aside. I start a novel by setting up a kind of story-board, so that the interweaving events knit naturally together, taking into account the personalities involved, and without calling for improbable coincidences. It was also important to be aware of wartime austerity and the ever-present threat of danger. The story-board includes a map which helps to tie places and events together with appropriate and convincing time intervals.

The Cock Inn

As for a special place for writing, my house in France is an ancient smithy which used to employ the river alongside to drive the machinery. The building possesses considerable charm. The main workshop of the smithy has been converted into a large space for living, dining, music and books, Up in its rafters is a kind of mezzanine platform, which is a splendid place to write.

One final question, Peter. Do you have plans for more adventures in your popular Gang series?

USAAF Shield

A plot outline for a seventh book in the series has been prepared. It concerns the profound disturbances in the lives of the inhabitants of Widdlington caused by the setting up of a United States Army Air Force base close to the village. A tentative title for this novel is: Gang America.

Thank you, Peter, for taking part in this interview for the readers of The Review, it has been most enjoyable.

Details concerning Peter St. John's books can be found on his website: http://www.peterstjohn.net/ - Further information is given on amazon.co.uk and amazon.com and his books can be obtained in both paperback and e-book. You can also find a comprehensive biography on Peter's Amazon page.

Peter can also be found here on Facebook.

Louise E. Rule is author of Future Confronted and can be found on amazon.co.uk and amazon.com

Louise can also be found on Facebook here

The Dry Lands - a Hutch & A'ris Novel

The Dry Lands by Trish Marie Dawson

Trish Marie Dawson once again demonstrates her ability to take a genre and make it her own. Having discovered her work with the Find Me series of post-pandemic shattered Earth fiction I moved on to her  young adult-flavoured Station series with equal relish. However when I learned she was turning her hand towards what I would normally describe as science fiction I wondered whether this would prove to be a step too far.

Needless to say my fears were groundless.

The Dry Lands is a fantastic page turner of a read which sinks its hooks in from the start and keeps up a breathless pace as we join Hutch and A'ris across the blasted, sun beaten land of Ernoth as a runaway princess with a dreadful burden struggles against the elements, ruthless assassins, an overly talkative parrot and her growing feelings for a rough and ready bodyguard to reach 'The Dome'.

Krane Hutch just wants enough money to purchase passage off the planet after being dropped off, quite literally, by his former shipmates for a dalliance with the captain's daughter.

Ms. Dawson expertly blends their frustrations, fears and slowly growing feelings towards each other against a backdrop of dangerous borderland towns where no'one can be trusted and where the elements are as a deadly as an assassin's bullet.

This is probably her longest book to date weighing in at 115,000 plus words but you wouldn't know it. The drama and excitement never let up for a moment and before you realise it you are approaching the end and wishing it was even longer.

All in all this is a book to fall in love with: great characters, fantastic places, good versus evil and the tantalising glimpse of a possible brighter future for everyone on Ernoth at the climax.

Purchase Links:

To purchase in the United States.

To purchase in the United Kingdom.

About the author...

Trish was born and mostly raised in San Diego, California where she lives now with her family and pets. She's been writing short stories and poetry since high school after an obsession with Stephen King's The Stand. After over 15 years of crazy dreams and an overactive imagination, Trish began her first book I Hope You Find Me in December of 2011. When Trish isn't writing, she's homeschooling her amazing daughter and mildly autistic son, reading whatever she can get her hands on, or enjoying the Southern California sun. As a strict vegetarian, Trish holds a special place in her heart for animal rights and dashes into the backyard weekly to rescue lizards and mice from her mini-lab/cocker spaniel mixed dog, Zoey...who is always getting into some sort of trouble.

For information on all her books visit her website.

Sunday Wrap Up: Week ending Sunday May 24, 2014

Going back an extended bit this time round, we've got some great book showcased for you this week. As always, excerpts for each appear below with the links leading you to individual reviews in their entirety. Also as is usual, we take you round the world, this week making stops in Scotland, Venice and  Kenya, with a chat up happening in…well, wherever The Review's cozy, oversized sofa happens to be! So sit back, grab your fork and get ready to read! Oh and . . . remember to watch out for the link leading to the giveaway!

Lisl brings us to the story of a thunderstorm gone mad and what happens when worlds collide. (Sort of like warm air and cold air, perhaps?) 

A Rip in the Veil by Anna Belfrage

Previously having read and enjoyed The Prodigal Son, third in The Graham Saga series, I approached this first book with assurance and excitement. It is, after all, where the adventures begin, where the rip in the veil dividing time(s) occurs, at least in the case of Alex Lind. From my previous reading I knew she’d gone tail spinning through time back to the 17^th century following a freak thunderstorm, though further details, of course, remained unknown to me. Reading the first sentences of the novel, I was very aware of my transition into the beginning, and that enticingly soon these details would be revealed. I am quite sure anyone who has ever read Belfrage’s Saga out of order—which can be done—will understand.

Belfrage delivers and then some—wasting no time in getting her tale going, readers recognize what Alex herself does not, and her responses to them artfully contribute to the flow and continuity of the story as the author inserts detail clues for readers’ benefit: “Sahara heat in Scotland—okay, that was an exaggeration, but it wasn’t far off” tells us where these events take place and the technique is used throughout the book, sparingly and subtly, also economically lending insight into players’ personalities. 

The most apparent location these hints appear would be in some of the dialogue, which informs readers of how much each character knows about various events. In this way and others, Belfrage weaves a complex story, pleasurable and fascinating to follow—and I do mean fascinating: there were a number of occasions that gave me pause as I stopped to consider implications, how something could work, what might it mean in reality, and so on. The author’s prose lends credence to such a possibility, too: described with verbiage so on target and believable, responses and consequences so plausible, not an extra or out-of-place word, it becomes real as readers as well are drawn into the vortex with Alex, mysteriously and frighteningly into another time and, really, another place.

This really is some serious business here! To get more ideas about what happens with Alex, read on!

*********

Lisl next brings us to the exciting waterways of Venice with her review of Sarah Bruce Kelly's Vivaldi's Muse.

Vivaldi's Muse by Sarah Bruce Kelly

Picture yourself a time traveller, having been removed from your 21st century comfort and familiarity to be placed alone in the middle of enchanting but unaccustomed surroundings: An 18th century Venetian street scene, rife with sensory stimulation in the song and smell of roast pumpkin hawked by one vendor, while another creates the captivating image and mouth-watering sensation of pear juice dripping down your chin, and the fiery melon hearts you long to reach out for.

Later you may recall the sumptuous smell of roast chicken as you settle into a hungry sleep and the outside chill seeps into your bones. You remember the gondolieri-filled canal, their bravado and charm as you were swept by the magnificence of a life in which all people, coarse and refined alike, appreciate opera as easily as they would the Carnivale introduced to you by the sweeping arm of the gondolier who piloted you to your destination. Magnificent and marvelous it all is, though you are periodically reminded by circumstance of your aloneness in the midst of strangers and their coldness—and the ways of one whose singular goal appears to be your failure.

Having read much of 18th century Europe, few of us would be prepared for such circumstances, and such is the bewilderment of Annina Girò, who is to become longtime protégée of Baroque composer and virtuoso violinist Antonio Vivaldi. Now, however, swept by her surroundings and captivated within the dream of becoming an opera star, the not-yet teenaged Annina perhaps frustrates the reader with her naiveté as much as this delights her tormenter and rival, Chiara Orlandi. Author Sarah Bruce Kelly keeps readers riveted not because we wonder if Annina will ever make it to Vivaldi’s studio, but how on earth it will happen—and brings us along for the ride as we share Annina’s ups and downs on her journey to stardom.

Your reading list will be incomplete without learning how Annina fares, so hop on over to the review to get started…

*********

Louise lets us listen in as she and author Margaret Skea chat about writing, research, and let's see what else…

Margaret is now writing a sequel to Turn of the Tide, and her working title is A House Divided.

Welcome, Margaret, to The Review's Author Interview.

You did a Blog Hop recently on Facebook describing your main character in your new novel. Your WIP, A House Divided, opens in 1597. What draws you to this time in history?

These books were always intended to be part of a series, so I have an overall story arc for the first three that cover the time period of 1586 - c 1607. Turn of the Tide finished in 1591 and I thought long and hard about when to pick up the Munros' story. There were several factors that influenced my decision to go for 1597.

1. Historical events (in the Montgomerie family history) that I intended to feature suggested the closing years of the 16th century.
2. Pinpointing exactly when to break into the story was more difficult. However, as Kate Munro is the main focus, I needed some years to have elapsed in order for her to have had time to establish herself as a 'wise woman', and I also wanted to develop the characters of the Munro children, particularly as they negotiated the transition from childhood to adulthood. 
3. The most difficult decision of all was the period that the book would span, and I'm still swithering about that one!

Do you have a special place where you like to write, and do you prefer to write at a particular time of day, Margaret? 

I moved all around the house while I was writing Turn of the Tide, following the sun - I find it very hard to write while cold - but now I have the luxury of a desk, beside a wall covered in post-it notes, maps, and photos of potentially relevant historic buildings. I have a small post-it note with a heading for each chapter stuck on the desk itself so that I can move them about as necessary and they are colour-coded according to who they relate to. The idea is that I can see at a glance the balance within the book. (That's the theory anyway!) As for time of day - I get up around 6.00 am and try to do some writing before breakfast. If I can do that then I can return to it later in the day when real life permits.

To continue listening in on the convo, click here.

*********

This review is very exciting for us because it represents the debut with The Review Group of our newest member, Babus. Celebrate with us by joining in for your chance to win a FREE COPY of this next book, so aptly reviewed by Babus. 

The Most Distant Way by Ewan Gault

“The most distant way in the world is not the way from birth to end.”

--Rabindranath Tagore

The significance of this quote becomes tragically apparent as you read through Ewan Gault's The Most Distant Way, which takes you on a journey through the eyes of Scottish 19-year-olds Mike and Kirsten, who are aspiring competitive runners sent to Kenya's Rift Valley to train at a high altitude training centre. They have been staying at an orphanage and farm set up by a former world class Kenyan athlete. They are a week from returning home at the start of the book with their majority of their experience of living and training in Africa behind them, but soon are faced with the perils of the country coming up to an election and they spend time in Nairobi and Mombasa on their return journey to the UK. Both Mike and Kirsten have emotional issues regarding their return to home.  Each chapter is told alternately from Mike and Kirsten's point of view. This threw me initially at chapter two as it occurred without notice but after chapter three I got into the habit of swapping heads at the end of each chapter. The characters Mike and Kirsten could not be more different and their differing approaches to their experiences is what makes this book affecting to read. Exposed to the stark poverty and lack of infrastructure in the country around them as well as enduring the rigorous training programme they are expected to excel in to make them better athletes, our two protagonists also hide insecurities of their own, which Gault explores during the course of the book. Mike is being coached by Kirsten's father who was a famed athlete and a famous coach known for getting results. Mike's own father is, unusually, not a past competitor in this sport and this has lead to there being much distance between father and son.

Read more about these intriguing characters AND for more details on the giveaway…because you KNOW you want to read this book!

Stay tuned in the coming week for some more great reviews and interviews!

Babus Reviews: The Most Distant Way

The Most Distant Way

by Ewan Gault

Please see below for giveaway information!

*********

“The most distant way in the world is not the way from birth to end.”

--Rabindranath Tagore

The significance of this quote becomes tragically apparent as you read through Ewan Gault's The Most Distant Way, which takes you on a journey through the eyes of Scottish 19-year-olds Mike and Kirsten, who are aspiring competitive runners sent to Kenya's Rift Valley to train at a high altitude training centre. They have been staying at an orphanage and farm set up by a former world class Kenyan athlete. They are a week from returning home at the start of the book with their majority of their experience of living and training in Africa behind them, but soon are faced with the perils of the country coming up to an election and they spend time in Nairobi and Mombasa on their return journey to the UK. Both Mike and Kirsten have emotional issues regarding their return to home.  Each chapter is told alternately from Mike and Kirsten's point of view. This threw me initially at chapter two as it occurred without notice but after chapter three I got into the habit of swapping heads at the end of each chapter. The characters Mike and Kirsten could not be more different and their differing approaches to their experiences is what makes this book affecting to read. Exposed to the stark poverty and lack of infrastructure in the country around them as well as enduring the rigorous training programme they are expected to excel in to make them better athletes, our two protagonists also hide insecurities of their own, which Gault explores during the course of the book. Mike is being coached by Kirsten's father who was a famed athlete and a famous coach known for getting results. Mike's own father is, unusually, not a past competitor in this sport and this has lead to there being much distance between father and son. 

This is a very visual book as the descriptions put you right there under the sun experiencing the sights, smells and sounds with the characters. It is well written and easy to read even though there is no wham-bam high octane plot; it is more about getting to know Kenya, its people, Mike and Kirsten as they prepare to return to the UK from their training, and seeing the world through their eyes. The book reveals the vulnerabilities and the flaws in each of the characters but makes them both likeable and hence absorbing to the reader. 

The technical aspect of their training is described relevantly and accurately to be alluring but not take over the narrative. The story flows at a pace that makes it easy to put down and pick up. It is achingly frank in parts and does not hold back in describing the desperation and violence around at the time Mike and Kirsten journey to Kenya. The author sensitively but honestly presents the experience  of the characters in the book from his own personal experience of training in Kenya. I became attached to Mike and Kirsten, without knowing it or actually meaning to, about a  third of the way through the book. Whereas Mike retains the reticence of a foreigner abroad at the start of the book, Kirsten wants to immerse herself in the culture and is sympathetic to the people and problems around her. Mike's apathy contrasts to her take on what they are both experiencing and when he can tear himself away from being the know-it-all, carefully measuring and plotting his measurements to chart his progress, we see that Mike does have a human side and his apathy does slip for the people around him. Both characters I think will resonate with readers. The people they have left at home are very much a part of this story as the people they interact with. Both characters are well developed and the writer reveals more and more about each one as you read through the book.

The harsh realities not just of their environment in Kenya during training but also the competitive and ruthless nature of cross-country running is also a central theme of the book and the impact of gruelling character-building training on each character is very different. I found that I got more urgently drawn into the book past the 70% mark. This book will appeal to those who enjoy reading about travel and physical training but it has an undeniable human-interest core theme that makes it appealing to anyone.  An enjoyable début from a promising new writer.

Ewan Gault has generously offered two giveaways: an e-book version and a paperback. To get your name in the hat for the draw, simply comment below or at our Facebook link here. 

Louise E. Rule interviews MARGARET SKEA for The Review's Author Interview

Welcome to The Review's Author Interview

The author who is joining us today is Margaret Skea, author of Turn of the Tide.

Product description from amazon.co.uk

Old rivalries - new friendships - dangerous decisions. Set in 16th century Scotland, Munro owes allegiance to the Cunninghams and to the Earl of Glencairn but befriends a member of the Montgomerie clan antagonizing William, the arrogant and vicious Cunningham heir. And antagonizing William is a dangerous game to play.

Also from the front of Turn of the Tide:

Margaret Skea was born in Ulster, and now lives with her husband in the Scottish Borders. Her degree in Linguistics at St. Andrews University was followed by a Ph.D on the Ulster-Scots vernacular, which led, in turn, to an interest in 16th century Scottish history. An Hawthornded Fellow and award winning writer: Historical Fiction Winner in 2011 Harper Collins and Alan Titchmarsh People's Novelist Competition, Neil Gunn 2011, Chrysalis Prize 2010, and Winchester 2009. A finalist in the 2012 Historical Novel Society Short Story Competition and shortlisted for Mslexia Short Story 2012, she has been long-listed in the Fish Short Story and Fish One Page Prize, and published in a range of magazines and anthologies in Britain and the USA.

During the Alan Titchmarsh Show in ITV, in which the People's Novelist Competition was featured, Jeffrey Archer, who was one of the judges, commented that the quality of Margaret's writing and research was outstanding, while Penny Smith, also a judge, particularly commended Margaret's use of dialogue.

Margaret is now writing a sequel to Turn of the Tide, and her working title is A House Divided.

Welcome, Margaret, to The Review's Author Interview.

You did a Blog Hop recently on Facebook describing your main character in your new novel. Your WIP, A House Divided, opens in 1597. What draws you to this time in history?

These books were always intended to be part of a series, so I have an overall story arc for the first three that cover the time period of 1586 - c 1607. Turn of the Tide finished in 1591 and I thought long and hard about when to pick up the Munros' story. There were several factors that influenced my decision to go for 1597.

1. Historical events (in the Montgomerie family history) that I intended to feature suggested the closing years of the 16th century.
2. Pinpointing exactly when to break into the story was more difficult. However, as Kate Munro is the main focus, I needed some years to have elapsed in order for her to have had time to establish herself as a 'wise woman', and I also wanted to develop the characters of the Munro children, particularly as they negotiated the transition from childhood to adulthood. 
3. The most difficult decision of all was the period that the book would span, and I'm still swithering about that one!

Do you have a special place where you like to write, and do you prefer to write at a particular time of day, Margaret?

I moved all around the house while I was writing Turn of the Tide, following the sun - I find it very hard to write while cold - but now I have the luxury of a desk, beside a wall covered in post-it notes, maps, and photos of potentially relevant historic buildings. I have a small post-it note with a heading for each chapter stuck on the desk itself so that I can move them about as necessary and they are colour-coded according to who they relate to. The idea is that I can see at a glance the balance within the book. (That's the theory anyway!) As for time of day - I get up around 6.00 am and try to do some writing before breakfast. If I can do that then I can return to it later in the day when real life permits.

Some writers do drafts in long hand first, and then edit as they transcribe to the computer. What is your preferred method of writing, Margaret?

I generally write straight onto my laptop - I can type faster than I can write, and much more legibly! But if I'm not actually writing when an idea comes to me I jot it down and add in to my 'wall'. Each day I usually start by reading through and lightly editing the last few paragraphs from the previous day, but if I see a major problem in what I've written I leave it to be sorted out at a later stage and try to keep going. Otherwise I'd never get past chapter one. However for main edits I print out the manuscript and work in longhand on the printed version - a little pricey on paper, but for me it's important to see the hard copy. I also like to read the manuscript aloud at this stage, and that is tricky from a screen. Especially as my laptop is a little 11" one, so the screen isn't huge, and I prefer to stand up to do that read through.

How important is an historical note addendum when one is writing a historical fiction novel?

I felt it important to have a very short -less than a page - historical note at the start of Turn of the Tide in order to place the book in its broader historical context. However there was some specific information - for example where I had tampered with documented history in order to fulfil the needs of the story - which I included as an addendum. It would have spoiled the story to come clean earlier, but with issues such as this I think the reader has a right to know. They may also be curious (I certainly am) as to the balance between fact and fiction in an historical novel, and an addendum is the obvious place to answer that question. But, although addenda are important I believe that they should be as short as possible.

Do you see these novels becoming a series?

As I said earlier, I've always had the desire to write a series about the Munro family, and I'm desperate to get them into Ulster and the private plantation of Co Down in the 17th century. There is so much fascinating history relating to the Montgomerie family that I can tap into to provide the backdrop to a continuing story. It was also a period of great change within society as a whole, so plenty of scope there, too. I hope I can do it, and them, justice. How far will I take them I'm not sure, but the temptation is to go at least as far as the English Civil War period (1640s).

Finally, I would like to ask you about your character Kate Munro. She comes across as a really strong character, with knowledge of obstetrics and gynaecology. How do you see this aspect of your character developing?

Hard to answer this without giving away too much of the plot, but I can say that she (and her daughter Maggie) will both continue and further develop their interest in medicine, regardless of any dangers that it will expose them to. There were female pioneers in the field of medicine at this period and I see no reason why Kate shouldn't be one of them!

Thank you so much for taking part in this interview, Margaret; it's been extremely interesting and most enjoyable.

Margaret Skea can be found here on Facebook.

Turn of the Tide can be bought from amazon.co.uk

If you would like to help Margaret Skea win the Peoples' Book Prize please vote for _Turn of the Tide_ at the link, thank you.

http://www.peoplesbookprize.com/finalist.php

Louise E. Rule is author of Future Confronted and can be bought from amazon.co.uk and amazon.com

Louise can be found on Facebook here.

Lisl reviews: Vivaldi's Muse by Sarah Bruce Kelly

Vivaldi's Muse
Sarah Bruce Kelly

Picture yourself a time traveller, having been removed from your 21st century comfort and familiarity to be placed alone in the middle of enchanting but unaccustomed surroundings: An 18th century Venetian street scene, rife with sensory stimulation in the song and smell of roast pumpkin hawked by one vendor, while another creates the captivating image and mouth-watering sensation of pear juice dripping down your chin, and the fiery melon hearts you long to reach out for.

Later you may recall the sumptuous smell of roast chicken as you settle into a hungry sleep and the outside chill seeps into your bones. You remember the gondolieri-filled canal, their bravado and charm as you were swept by the magnificence of a life in which all people, coarse and refined alike, appreciate opera as easily as they would the Carnivale introduced to you by the sweeping arm of the gondolier who piloted you to your destination. Magnificent and marvelous it all is, though you are periodically reminded by circumstance of your aloneness in the midst of strangers and their coldness—and the ways of one whose singular goal appears to be your failure.

Having read much of 18th century Europe, few of us would be prepared for such circumstances, and such is the bewilderment of Annina Girò, who is to become longtime protégée of Baroque composer and virtuoso violinist Antonio Vivaldi. Now, however, swept by her surroundings and captivated within the dream of becoming an opera star, the not-yet teenaged Annina perhaps frustrates the reader with her naiveté as much as this delights her tormenter and rival, Chiara Orlandi. Author Sarah Bruce Kelly keeps readers riveted not because we wonder if Annina will ever make it to Vivaldi’s studio, but how on earth it will happen—and brings us along for the ride as we share Annina’s ups and downs on her journey to stardom.

While at least one of Chiara’s early setups is almost amateurish in its transparency, Kelly brings us better to appreciate and understand how it is Annina could fall for it, by first introducing us to her world. Although Mantua and Venice share a common language, where the young girl comes from couldn’t be more different. Her family’s breakdown nonwithstanding, Annina loves her distant and now-absent mother, whose energy is drawn from music. “The only times [Bartolomea] came to life were when she sang her beloved opera arias…[s]he was happiest when she sang, and Annina would joyfully sing along with her.” The girl is looked after by her elder half-sister who acts as surrogate parent, as well as her pushover French father whose largesse towards his adult sons angers Annina’s mother. Now, however, despite Paolina’s company in the first hours of her new Venetian life, and the promise of what the future holds, Annina no longer has at least a loving family in which to find comfort.

Having at an early age been mesmerized by the great maestro Vivaldi, Annina determines her own destiny: to become an opera singer—and how could she not, if the way the author describes her experiences captures even a small portion of how the young girl sails through those few moments.

The music of the small orchestra billowed beneath the singer’s shimmering voice like a surging tide…She shifted her gaze to [Vivaldi, who] was filling in the pause between the aria’s two major sections with a violin solo that sparkled with fire. She watched his fingers fly like lightning over the strings as his swift bow thrusts brought the music to unimaginable melodic heights…Her rapture grew as the music of the violins blended with the singer’s voice and flooded the theater with exhilarating sound.

A brief meeting with Vivaldi, her mother’s abandonment, death of an empress and her family’s poverty pave the way towards a tuition sponsorship for Annina to study music in Venice, the city in which her sponsor’s protégée and she come together in the rivalry that starts long before Annina’s own awareness of it. While many of us modern readers tend to believe nothing could surprise us, and certainly not the cruelty of an older singer towards a twelve-year-old girl, Kelly masterfully leads us from event to event as we find ourselves lamenting Annina’s foolish act of writing her feelings in a letter just waiting for Chiara to rummage through her trunk in search of anything damaging to use against her, or the satisfaction rising when Annina’s matured intuition prevents a wicked plan from coming to fruition.

Perhaps one of the most outstanding scenes in which the author displays her gifts is that in which Chiara comes to show Vivaldi, by now aware of her destructive jealousy, a music score she has set up as Annina’s undoing, one the newer student had been instructed to copy, yet allegedly butchered. Vivaldi’s coolness towards Chiara, the way he holds back on telling all he knows or doles out with deliberate timing, his sparse sentences that nevertheless cause the singer to sputter and over-explain herself—all are done with words that ring off the page like the musical notes to a hypnotic and flowing melody that captures our emotions with the ups and downs not unlike the ones that had first enthralled Annina. As elements of the natural world had been displayed then, so too is this scene infused with fiery tension, thrust to and fro as the dangerous electricity within Chiara grows like the ribelle Annina recognized at that first opera, until at last her departure is in sync with “the sinister echo of the seagulls’ cries, an echo that resounded in the emptiness of her heart.”

Kelly’s treatment of Chiara’s character saves that particular role from sinking into a mere “bad person” stereotype, and allows for the focus on the reality of Venetian opera at this time—a perilous world in which young boys were mutilated to retain their voices, women would destroy one another for the privilege of being owned by the one in power and politics persuaded it all to occur in a back and forth manner, events that fed off of each other for the pleasure and ambition of the characters in an opera larger and more shadowy than any they could possibly imagine.

It is perhaps this growing awareness, as well as her love for priest and maestro Antonio Vivaldi that saves Annina from the darker side of this world, though to be sure she is required to develop clever management skills to avoid the pitfalls and traps, without falling foul of those she needs to avoid offending. Her refusal to part ways with him and endure the vicious slander surrounding her relationship with her mentor creates a support of its own as the two learn to trust each other despite the larger attachment they can never have.

At various points in the novel Kelly approaches the topic of sexuality with a method this reviewer wishes were employed more often: she utilizes words with grace that imparts the dignity of such attachments, without falling into coyness, avoidance or the removed language of a distant and staid century. Young adults will be able to relate to what the characters endure because many of them, too, are just beginning to approach the emotions and questions of this nature presented in the novel.

It must be stated clearly that opera as a backdrop should not frighten those unfamiliar with the topic or any of the players, many of whom really lived. For starters, we all know Vivaldi’s music without knowing we do. In a way this is a new sort of shame (following how history nearly forgot him until the 1927 discovery of many of his original manuscripts) because making the connection between the music and the man disposes of many of the operatic memes that tend to turn people away. Listening to Four Seasons just once brings on recognition and even a sort of joy that we have been part of this world all along.

Further, the book indeed is a novel, and tells a story with a cast of characters that rivals most Hollywood movies. People in all cultures and throughout history have always wanted to hear stories; it is one reason opera itself developed. The movie industry, really, is simply another form of storytelling, though one would be hard pressed to create on film the kind of tension, aura and magic that results from the merging of this novel and one’s own imagination and internal conflicts. Given the powerful effect music tends to have on human emotion, adding that element creates a greater strength to the story. Having said this, it should be added that while it is a novel, the book presents a journey, and not just a story, which always makes for a more rewarding read.

It is easy to see why Vivaldi’s Muse is an award-winning novel: bringing together music and the passion of human interactions (for better or worse) in a format accessible to a rather wide audience—a young-adult novel that is absolutely suitable for adults of all ages—brings to mind the thought that Sarah Bruce Kelly loves us. Meticulously researched, she has brought her expertise to bear on the lives of people who lived and loved, and who likely wanted to be remembered, as do we, amongst the creations we leave behind for progeny. Annina knew this as well.

At that instant, she became aware that there was something much bigger at stake than her personal fears or desires—even bigger than her relationship with Antonio: His music. The music he’d been moved to compose so furiously and prodigiously all his life would outlive its creator. It would outlive them all. She smiled as she realized she’d known that all along.

By 1930 all Vivaldi’s original manuscripts had been recovered, thanks no doubt to the collection and cataloguing work that had been done before they disappeared for two centuries, likely in preparation for their archival. Getzinger and Felsenfeld, in Antonio Vivaldi and the Baroque Tradition, tell of an oral tradition known to Alberto Gentili, which spoke of a Piedmont monastery in possession of Vivaldi’s works. In the late 1920s, as Kelly also addresses in her "Afterward," following two decades of searching for this part of a music library hidden during the Napoleonic wars, the works were found. The painstaking efforts of Gentili and others brought Vivaldi and his works back into the public consciousness, and there they stay.

With Vivaldi’s Muse Sarah Bruce Kelly continues this noble pursuit by bringing to us a portrait of Vivaldi as seen through the eyes of Annina Girò, in historical fiction written with such style readers feel as if they have stepped into the story, such is the sensory integration, emotional impact and depth of detail following a journey that lasts almost a lifetime, as we meet Annina as a little girl and bid our farewell following Antonio’s death many years later. Kelly’s hope is realized when, as Vivaldi’s music touches a special place in our hearts, so close we never knew it at one time wasn’t there, so too has this journey.

This review previously appeared at before the second sleep, where Lisl can also be found. If you would like Lisl to review your book or conduct an interview, please see our submissions tab above. 

To read Lisl's review of Sarah Bruce Kelly's The Red Priest's Annina, as well as her interview with the author, click here.

Lisl Reviews: A Rip in the Veil

Please be sure to see below for giveaway information!

A Rip in the Veil by Anna Belfrage

Previously having read and enjoyed The Prodigal Son, third in The Graham Saga series, I approached this first book with assurance and excitement. It is, after all, where the adventures begin, where the rip in the veil dividing time(s) occurs, at least in the case of Alex Lind. From my previous reading I knew she’d gone tail spinning through time back to the 17^th century following a freak thunderstorm, though further details, of course, remained unknown to me. Reading the first sentences of the novel, I was very aware of my transition into the beginning, and that enticingly soon these details would be revealed. I am quite sure anyone who has ever read Belfrage’s Saga out of order—which can be done—will understand.

Belfrage delivers and then some—wasting no time in getting her tale going, readers recognize what Alex herself does not, and her responses to them artfully contribute to the flow and continuity of the story as the author inserts detail clues for readers’ benefit: “Sahara heat in Scotland—okay, that was an exaggeration, but it wasn’t far off” tells us where these events take place and the technique is used throughout the book, sparingly and subtly, also economically lending insight into players’ personalities.

The most apparent location these hints appear would be in some of the dialogue, which informs readers of how much each character knows about various events. In this way and others, Belfrage weaves a complex story, pleasurable and fascinating to follow—and I do mean fascinating: there were a number of occasions that gave me pause as I stopped to consider implications, how something could work, what might it mean in reality, and so on. The author’s prose lends credence to such a possibility, too: described with verbiage so on target and believable, responses and consequences so plausible, not an extra or out-of-place word, it becomes real as readers as well are drawn into the vortex with Alex, mysteriously and frighteningly into another time and, really, another place.

“Are you alright?” Matthew asked Alex.

“Yes,” she said shakily.

“Do you know him?” He cocked his head at the groaning shape.

“No.”

“Yes you do!” Two penetrating eyes fixed on her.

Alex shook her head, taking in a battered face, a dirty flannel shirt and jeans that seemed to have burnt off at calf length. He looked awful. The skin on what she could see of his legs was blistered and raw, made even worse by a large flesh wound. But he was here, an undoubtedly modern man. . . One person dropping through a time hole she could, with a gigantic stretch of mind, contemplate. Two doing it at the same time was so improbable as to be risable[. . . .]

[The man’s] eyes stuck on Matthew. . . . His eyes widened, his mouth fell open, he cleared his throat and gawked some more, his Adam’s apple bobbing like a cork.

“Where the hell am I?” he said. “Where have I ended up?”

Indeed, sense of place is a strong element in Alex’s story and we see some overlap in time, eliciting more questions that contribute to an urgent sense of need-to-know. I also longed to learn how those Alex leaves behind react; here, too, Belfrage does not disappoint. Initially alternating with some frequency between her new/old world and the time she has left behind, gradually the narrative settles into Alex’s story within her current surroundings, only periodically bringing readers back to those seeking answers as to her whereabouts. This reflects Alex’s perspective of the experience, as she begins to make a life in this strange place she has landed.

Perhaps the most significant element Belfrage employs throughout the book, this literary reflection of a character’s reality does extra duty as it is simultaneously employed with temporal distortion—texting her father from 1658, muttered comments Alex has to explain away—and pastiche, whereby her 21^st century words, ways, songs, clothing names (djeans, Matthew calls jeans) are imported backwards in time. Alex herself often brings this distortion to readers’ attention with her questioning of her new world (which is actually old) and how she could be there, given that at this time, she has not yet been born. Nor has any of her family, so how could they be searching for her? What may be the most satisfying yet, and perhaps a little surprising, is Belfrage’s manner of writing about time travel—writing mostly in the destination era being the largest contributor to the sense of surprise—utilizing postmodern technique to do it. Moreover, her interweaving of the various strategies is absolutely seamless.

Through the book, we get hints of Alex’s history awareness as she periodically betrays, to readers only, her knowledge of what is to come in this historical era. The temptation for an author to lean on this type of understanding must be great; fortunately for readers and characters alike, Belfrage does not rely on it. In fact, she shies away from it in most instances, as Alex determinedly seeks to make her way in this era with more natural supports—and, of course, to avoid accusations of witchcraft. When readers may expect some historical event to be referenced, Alex moves on; she has learned quickly.

As Alex learns what she needs to in order to survive—including about Matthew’s vengeful younger brother Luke, and the wife once paired with Matthew himself—she also begins to see much in Matthew, joining forces with him to live a life of integrity in the face of religious persecution and inconceivable human cruelty. Alex sees this very quickly after they meet each other, during their journey back to his home, and through their time living there. She also captures the attention of someone who believes there is more to her than she tells, bonding with her and others as she makes her way through newcomer status and the daunting awareness of not knowing what she is doing, including in the presence of those who wish her ill.

Matthew has an ally in Simon, his brother-in-law and attorney, who protects his interests and indeed, his life, counseling the newlyweds in ways small and large. In some ways, as Matthew and Alex get to know each other, their story is timeless—two people with a bond who must learn to integrate their beings into a cohesive and workable whole. On top of their own challenges, ordinary and unique, the pair must also deal with the threats that remain, for despite having made it home, Luke’s anger has not subsided, and it menaces Matthew and those he loves at every turn. Matthew and Alex do not claim victory over every challenge, and sometimes must learn to compensate, including with each other.

“I didn’t like the ‘obey’ part,” Alex grumbled as they walked back to Simon’s office [following their wedding]. “I mean the love and to hold and all that, fine. But to obey? It makes me feel like a dog. . . . Why should I obey you?”

“Because I’m your husband,” Matthew explained with exaggerated patience. “And you’re but a mindless wife.”

Will they always be so lucky? How do they keep Luke’s hatred at bay and can they continue? What of Alex’s strange circumstances? She was brought here against her will; what if the forces that carried her here reverse themselves? Can she ever go back? How can she stay under the conditions she will be required to live? These are just a few of the top questions that will arise from readers, who certainly will reach eagerly for the next book for answers as well as more of the Grahams, for while the book’s technical brilliance impresses the intellect, its soul captures the heart and imagination.

It is understood that certain factors affect any given reading, including order of books read. Did my awareness of Alex’s future, so to speak, with Matthew affect my perspective of the first in the series? Undoubtedly. Would I have enjoyed it as much had I not read the third book first? The only truthful answer I can give is that I do not know, though I am certain I still would be clamoring for the rest, as I now am. It has not escaped me, however, that like Alex, I myself have done a bit of time travelling by learning of a future portion of her life in the 17^th century before being brought to the first part of her time there. While many of my questions arising from the third are answered in the first, the readings of both are still magnificent and I will not be satisfied until I have read them all—and even then I may still want more.

*********
The author has graciously offered a free copy of A Rip in the Veil for one lucky winner. To get your name in the hat, simply comment below, or at our Facebook thread. 

Anna Belfrage can be found on amazon, twitter, facebook and on her website. 

Lisl may also be found at beforethesecondsleep.blogspot.com. If you would like Lisl to review your book or conduct an interview, please see our submissions tab above.