“Chatting with the Pros”: Interview with award winning horror author Paul Kane
Posted: October 7, 2019 Filed under: Books, Chatting with the Pros, Dark Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Interview, Writing | Tags: Arcana, Author Interview, Chatting with the Pros, Dark fiction, horror, Paul Kane, Writing to be Read 5 Comments
This month as we explore the darkness of horror and dark fiction, we have a special treat. This month I have for you, not one, but two “Chatting with the Pros” author guests, which is why this segment is posting on the first Monday rather than the usual third Monday spot.
For today, I have the pleasure of interviewing an award winning, bestselling author of over ninety books, who is also the expert on Clive Barker’s Hellraiser films and his own work has been optioned and adapted for the big and small screen, including for US network prime time television. A former British Fantasy Society Special Publications Editor, he is currently serving as co-chair for the UK chapter of The Horror Writers Association. I’m really excited to present all he has to share. Please help me welcome him now.
Kaye: You began writing comics as a boy. Are there aspects of those comic book characters that can still be seen in your writing today?
Paul: I just drew them first, copying the kinds of comics my dad used to buy me – but it was definitely a way of sorting out in my head how story worked. Later on, I’d write dialogue and action for them as well, so that they looked more like proper comic books, and I’d show them to friends and family. It wasn’t until years later that I learned how to write actual comic scripts, but even then I sketched out the panels beforehand so I could work out what needed to go on the page and where. As for characters, I think that was certainly where I started to create and build characters – as well as making up stories for my toys and acting them out like little films. By my teens, though, I was writing prose and emulating the kinds of books I’d read as well, so I think that was when I learned how to flesh out and develop characters. I still love writing in a comic book style, yes, which is something I did for a story of mine called ‘The Return of Mortis-Man’ in the collection Death. I had such fun writing that, creating my very own horror superhero, and I’m planning on doing a couple more featuring that character.
Kaye: What do you think is the single most important element in a horror story?
Paul: That’s a tough one. I think the single most important element in any story, for any genre, is to tell the best tale you can. That’s your responsibility as a writer – and I take it very seriously. Make sure the characters are there first and people will care about them, because if you don’t do that nobody will bat an eyelid if something horrible happens to them. Make sure the journey they’re on is credible, even if things are happening to those people that are totally out there. For example, in the latest short horror novel I wrote for PS Publishing – The Storm, out in 2020 – I had to make sure the bunch of characters were living and breathing, had their own problems and histories, so that when monsters attack you’re right there with them in the thick of it. You care if someone gets injured or loses a loved one. You have to totally understand their motivations for doing what they do and acting the way they act. If you don’t have that then bad things are simply happening to cardboard cut-outs you couldn’t care less about.
Kaye: What was the most fun interview you’ve ever done? Why?
Paul: You mean an interview I’ve conducted with someone myself? We once interviewed George A. Romero for a magazine and went back to his hotel room, where he regaled us with stories about making the Living Dead movies and his career in general, whilst drinking copious amounts of rum. That was a surreal afternoon, a kind of ‘pinch me’ moment. In terms of live interviews, probably Clive Barker on stage at FantasyCon 2006 – which I did in front of an audience of about 600. That was nerve-wracking, but Clive – lovely as he always is – really put me at my ease and we had a whale of a time. I did a smaller, more intimate interview with he and Simon Bamford – Butterball from the Hellraiser movies and Ohnaka from Nightbreed – later on that day and that was such fun! There were about 30 or 40 people in the room for that and we were able to chat a bit more freely about their careers. In terms of myself being interviewed, then probably my times on Nicholas Vince’s Chattering show. We did one at Christmas once and the guests were me, the Soska sisters, Barbie Wilde, Ashley Thorpe, and Tim Dry. That was a terrific experience, very funny. It’s still online somewhere if you want to track it down.
Kaye: What is your biggest challenge in writing dark works of horror?
Paul: Biggest challenge? Probably nothing to do with the actual writing of dark fiction, but rather getting published in the first place and building a good reputation over the years. It takes a lot of time and effort, but is totally worth it. I was lucky enough to discover the small presses back in the ’90s, who were willing to take chances with who and what they published, and that got me a foot in the door. Organisations like The British Fantasy Society and the Horror Writers Association were also vital in terms of meeting creative people who are into the same things, are on the same page, so to speak. I’ve made so many good friends going to events organised by places like that, and been given so much good advice. I even met my wife, Marie O’Regan – a very talented writer and editor herself – at an FCon in 2003! And now we’re paying it forward, of course, by organising a StokerCon for next year with Guests such as Grady Hendrix, Gillian Redfearn, Kim Newman and Mick Garris – so people can do the same. You can find out all about that one at https://stokercon-uk.com
Kaye: Is there anything unique or unusual about your writing process?
Paul: I’m not really sure, because it’s not something I tend to talk about that much with other writers. I try to work office hours, which comes from my background in journalism I think, but that’s not always possible if I’m on multiple deadlines. Summer 2018, for instance, I was writing a novel in the daytime and then editing an anthology in the evenings, which got pretty gruelling. It’s a weird kind of process, because I go into this fugue state and then come out of it having written 1000 words or whatever, not really quite understanding how I did it. When I’m writing prose I try to do 1000 words before lunch, then a couple more afterwards, to make about 3000 in total. Over this last summer, though, I was managing 4000 words a day, which was taking its toll a bit, but I got my novel done in time.
Kaye: What’s your favorite time of day to write? Why?
Paul: Probably in the afternoon, because I’ll know I’ve got some words under my belt – hopefully – in the morning, so I have that fallback. And by then I’ll have built up a head of steam and it should just be a matter of continuing on in that vein. Sometimes things crop up, like I might have to write a review or something, and that throws you out of what you were doing for a little while – but at the same time is nice and stops you getting into a rut.
Kaye: How do you get into your villain’s head deep enough to transform the words on the page into a visual image for the reader?
Paul: I love writing villains personally, because it gives you a chance to do and say things you wouldn’t ordinarily be able to in life – unless you were an actual villain, of course! A lot of villains I’ve written don’t care what people think, so they can be brutally honest, which is somewhat liberating. The flip side of that is, if they’re doing really terrible things to folks you have to distance yourself for the sake of your sanity. My character Lucas Peck in Before was a nasty piece of work and I found myself wincing at some of the stuff he did, but it was also for the good of the story and you found out why he was the way he was by the end of the novel – rightly or wrongly. The Infinity was the opposite: he was all about the language and just whispering in people’s ears. Messing with them essentially, and that was fun to write.
Kaye: What are your secrets for creating intricate, detailed story lines?
Paul: I plan. A lot. Always have done, I’ve always kept notes on stories and novels, done my research and outlines. Now, that doesn’t mean you have to stick rigidly to those plans and if something comes up that sends the story in a different direction which makes it better, you go with it. But it does means you have a kind of safety net, a rough map to follow. I don’t think I’d be able to even start writing without that, it would send me loopy. I’m plotting and researching quite a bit at the moment for the crime novels I’m writing as PL Kane for HQ Digital/HarperCollins. They’re not something you can just wing, so I do months of prep before even writing one word. You’ll see what I mean when you read the first one, Her Last Secret, which comes out in January 2020 and has just gone up for pre-order (po.st/herlastsecret)
Kaye: What techniques do you use to build or maintain suspense?
Paul: I’m never really sure whether a suspense scene has worked or not until I read it back, and even then I’m not 100% certain. I try to work through a scene like that as if I was in there with the characters, like a chase scene I just wrote in which my main protagonist was trying to hide from the bad guy. Will they catch them? If they hide, will it be a good hiding place? That kind of thing. But you also can’t lose sight of the fact you’re in charge of what these people are doing and can direct matters for maximum suspense. There was something Hitchcock once said I think, and I’m paraphrasing here and might get it wrong… But he said if you show a character finding a ticking bomb under the table they’re sitting at, there’s not as much suspense as showing the audience there’s a bomb and the main character has no idea. So, you might show the stalker getting closer and the victim not knowing a thing about it – or they might even know the person, but not be aware of their tendencies. If the reader or audience know they’re evil but the victim doesn’t, that makes for some great suspense.
Kaye: You are an expert on the Hellraiser films, by Clive Barker, and their themes, and in fact you wrote a book on them, The Hellraiser Films and Their Legacy. Can you tell me something about Pinhead that the average fan may not know?
Paul: I’m not sure there’s much left that fans don’t know. Clive told me once on the phone that Pinhead came to him in a dream, I’m not sure how widely known that is. I mean, there were lots of different factors that went into the making of that character… Pinhead in the original novella The Hellbound Heart is described as being quite effeminate, which was something we brought back when I adapted it into an audio drama for Bafflegab (https://shop.bafflegab.co.uk/album/the-hellbound-heart). Then when the film was made you had people like effects genius Bob Keen coming up with a certain look, and Doug Bradley’s performance. But, yes, he came to Clive to begin with in a dream. It’s like Clive’s been telling me for years, “Write your dreams, Paul. Write your dreams.”
Kaye: Which of your books would you most like to see become a film? Why?
Paul: Well, one of my stories – a novelette called ‘Men of the Cloth’ – has actually just been turned into a movie called The Colour of Madness by Loose Canon/Hydra Films, directed by Andy Collier and Toor Mian, and starring Barbara Crampton from Re-Animator – so all that’s rather exciting! It’s a Lovecraftian, folk horror deal and should appeal hugely to horror fans.
My Hooded Man post-apocalyptic novels for Rebellion/Abaddon were almost filmed a couple of times, and I would still love to see those made because they’re quite close to my heart – I only live about twenty minutes away from Sherwood Forest, and was taken there every bank holiday when I was a kid. I also think Before would make a cracking TV show along the lines of American Gods, because its scope is so massive. It’s part road movie adventure, part historical drama, part horror, all about past lives. People often tell me they’d like to see my Hellraiser novel Sherlock Holmes and the Servants of Hell turned into a movie, but the rights for that would be a nightmare. Plus the budget would be astronomical!
Kaye: You’re a pretty prolific writer. In the first half of 2019, you published The Controllers, The Dead, Exit Wounds and White Shadows, as well as a Robin of Sherwood novel, The Red Lord. Can you tell me about these latest releases?
Paul: Absolutely! The Controllers was published by Luna Press, and gathers together all of my stories featuring those characters from the whole of my career, and includes a couple of new ones – not to mention scans of handwritten tales, a gallery where artists offer their interpretations of The Controllers and an introduction by Richard Christian Matheson.
The Dead is my third mini-collection for the Black Shuck Shadows series, and gathers together three interlinking zombie stories, the first of which was adapted for TV back in 2008 as New Year’s Day by Lionsgate and shown on primetime US TV as an episode of the show Fear Itself.
Exit Wounds is a mass market crime anthology from Titan edited by myself and Marie and features the cream of the crop: names such as Dean Koontz, Val McDermid, Dennis Lehane, Mark Billingham, John Connolly, Alex Gray… the list goes on. It was recently given a starred review in Publishers Weekly and even favourably reviewed in The Times, so we were incredibly happy about that.
White Shadows is a collection of my dark YA fiction as PB Kane, including the short novel The Rainbow Man and the prequel to that, ‘The Rainbow Coat’. Published by Things in the Well, this was designed to be read by the young and the young at heart alike. The Red Lord is a prose adaptation of my own audio drama for Spiteful Puppet/ITV, which allowed me to expand on a few ideas I had to leave out of the original. I’ve been a fan of the RoS series since it aired, and indeed it inspired so much of my own Hooded Man saga, so it’s a bit of a dream come true this one. That sold out of its print run incredibly quickly, but is still available as an ebook.
Kaye: You also released Arcana through Wordfire Press this year. It has an interesting alternative world where magic is real, but forbidden. Can you talk a little about that book?
Paul: I loved writing Arcana, which one reviewer quite aptly described as ‘Harry Potter vs The Sweeney’. It’s set in an alternate universe where the witch hunts of old never died out and real magic exists. The people who practise this are hunted and imprisoned, tortured, then, more often than not, horribly executed. The division of the police that do this are called Magick Enforcement Officers, or M-Forcers, and we follow one young recruit Callum McGuire as he begins to realise something is terribly wrong with this regime; that the people who are being hunted aren’t what the government say they are. It’s all tied in with a prophecy one magic group – Arcana – have about a hero who will save them all. I was delighted with the way this one was received, and the audio of it has actually just been released on Audible so go and check that out.
Kaye: Describe yourself in three words.
Paul: Hard-working. Loyal. Curious.
Kaye: What’s next for Paul Kane? What do your readers have to look forward to in the future?
Paul: As I say, I’ve signed with HQ/Harper who are bringing out three thrillers under the PL Kane name, starting in January 2020. I’ve just finished the first draft of the second one which will be out a bit later that same year. Marie and I are running StokerCon UK as mentioned, so that’s taking up a lot of time as well at the moment.
There are a few collections coming out in the near future: a Body Horror one from Black Shuck called Traumas; a collection of my ‘Order of the Shadows’ tales called Darkness and Shadows from Shadowridge, introduced by MR ‘The Girl With All The Gifts’ Carey; and a more general one that gathers together my fiction from the last few years called Tempting Fate. Then there’s The Storm from PS, introduced by Rio Youers – a proper ‘creature feature’ of a novel – and I’ve just signed on the dotted line for a post-apocalyptic novella from Silver Shamrock Press.
The Colour of Madness should also be out next year, plus The Torturer – a short horror film I wrote, directed by Joe Manco, starring Paul T. Taylor who was Pinhead in Hellraiser Judgment and Lawrence Varnado from Sin City 2 – and a supernatural drama called Presence, directed by Dave Morgan of DLM Media. Then there’s more comics work, hopefully a theatre production… Plenty to keep me busy and hopefully readers and audiences entertained.
I want to thank Paul for sharing with us today. It has been a pleasure to get a glimpse into Kane and his books on his Shadow Writer website, or visit his Amazon Author page.
As I mentioned at the start of this post, this was a bonus “Chatting with the Pros”, because we have a second author guest who I will interview in the regular “Chatting with the Pros” spot on the third Monday, October 21st. My second CwtP author guest will be bestselling horror and dark fiction author Jeffrey J. Mariotte. You will also find a double review featuring Paul Kane’s Arcana and Jeffrey. J. Mariotte’s Cold Black Hearts. I do hope you all will join me as we explore the darkness together.
Like this post? Let me know in the comments. You can be sure not to miss any of Writing to be Read’s great content by subscribe to e-mail or following on WordPress.
Share this:
“Arcana” & “Cold Black Hearts”: Two different flavors of horror
Posted: October 4, 2019 Filed under: Alternate Worlds, Book Review, Books, Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, Fiction, Hooks, Horror, Post-Apocalyptic, Writing | Tags: Alternate World, Arcana, Book Reviews, Cold Black Hearts, Dark Fantasy, Dark fiction, Hooks, horror, Jeffrey J. Mariotte, Paranormal, Paul Kane, Story beginnings, Writing to be Read 3 Comments
I recently had the pleasure of reviewing two horror novels written by this month’s author guests; Arcana, by Paul Kane and Cold Black Hearts, by Jeffrey J. Mariotte. I found it interesting that these two authors chose one or two lines that were so similar to begin these very different horror stories. Both beginnings are designed to grab the reader and reel them in, and in both stories, it worked. The hook was instantly set.
Kane begins Arcana with,
“They were all going to die.
But it was for the cause, and they were not only glad to do it – they felt compelled to do it.”
Mariotte starts Cold Black Hearts like this;
“They were dead, all of them dead, and so was she.”
Both authors bring us into the story in the middle of the action at the point of impending death. We don’t know what is happening yet, but we know the speaker in each case is about to die. How does anyone walk away from that without reading more?
Both Arcana and Cold Black Hearts are horrific stories of evil and death, but they each present horror stories of distinctive and different flavors. Although each presents the battle of good versus evil, the resulting stories are very different, yet each has the ability to captivate their audience and satisfy whatever it is inside of us that makes horror such an appealing genre to us.
Arcana, by Paul Kane takes place in an alternate universe with a future where magick is very real and has survived through the Arcana culture, despite repeated efforts to exterminate them from the planet. It’s a world where torture is still used to extract confessions from those suspected of using the the ancient arts, and Callum McGuire is an orphan who bears a hatred for the magick communities responsible for the terrorist attack that left him alone, to be raised in an orphanage with a brutal matron. As a young M-forcer, dedicated to stopping Arcana after a recent series of terrorist attacks carried out by the group. The viciousness and brutality against Arcana is broadly directed, and as Callum watches innocent children fall prey to it, his own morality tells him that something isn’t right. When he guesses that his friend and neighbor is secretly Arcana, he is swept into the Arcana culture as he tries to protect her from being apprehended by his fellow M-forcers. This tale is cleverly crafted to let the story unfold in a series of discoveries which lead Callum to think that things are not the way he’d been lead to believe, even as more terrorist attacks take place, and his friends in Aracana try to convince him that he is the savior of their prophecy. Savior or destroyer? The power is in Callum’s hands and only he can decide.
Arcana takes readers on a hero’s journey beyond death and back in a world where anything is possible. That, my friends, can be a very scary journey. I give it five quills.
In Cold Black Hearts, by Jeffrey J. Mariotte, evil stirs the ancient legends into reality. When Annie O’Brian is caught in a bust gone bad and the resulting explosion, she loses both her hearing and her job, but she gains an uncanny sense of empathy for the people around her. So, there’s nothing to stop her from taking a job investigating a four year old murder where the original investigation was botched, and working to free the convicted man, even though he gives her the creeps and is probably guilty of numerous crimes, if not this one. Her investigation uncovers not only the evidence needed to free Johnny Ortega from prison, but also evidence that there is something much more sinister going on in Hildalgo County than a simple cover-up, but when Annie manages to put all the pieces together and tries to stop the return of an ancient demon, it could cost her her life, or worse.
Filled with sacrifice and betrayal, Cold Black Hearts will chill you to the core of your soul. Lots of unexpected twists and turns to this story. I give it four quills.
Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? Contact Kaye at kayebooth(at)yahoo(dot)com.
Share this:
Seeking out Christian fiction in September
Posted: September 23, 2019 Filed under: Books, Christian fiction, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Inspirational, romance, Western, Writing | Tags: Christian fiction, Inspiration, Writing to be Read 5 Comments
In his 2012 Relevant article, “Where Did Good Christian Fiction Go?“, Micah Levi Conkling claims that Christian fiction has been marred by the Left Behind series and Amish fiction, and is very difficult to find. So, in September, we’ve been seeking out Christian fiction to see if Conklin’s claims are true. Is there really no good Christian fiction out there anymore?
To start off, I want to define what Christian fiction really is. It’s not really a genre. Not really, because as you’ve seen if you have joined me in my search, Christian fiction comes in many genres. The two books I reviewed from the Thanksgiving Books & Blessings collection, Texas Tears and Mail-Order Misfire, are both western romances, and I also had the pleasure of interviewing the author of each, Caryl McAdoo and Davalynn Spencer respectively. My “Chatting with the Pros” author guest, Angela Hunt writes historical fiction, historical romance, heart-warming tales of love and friendship, and children’s books that can all be classified as Christian fiction.
Christian fiction is really a category that other genres fall under. The aforementioned Left Behind series might fall under the science fantasy genre, given it’s futuristic, alternative universe setting. As Christian novels can be so varied, let’s take a look at what they have on common like the portrayal of Christian lifestyles, and an underlying message of a loving God. A book in virtually any genre could be considered Christian fiction if it has these two components, even if the message is subtle and remains in the background of the story. According to the Christy Awards website, the award is “designed to nurture and encourage creativity and quality in the writing and publishing of fiction written from a Christian worldview and showcase the diversity of genres.”
In spite of Conklin’s claims, not all Christian stories boldly shove the message of God down the readers throat. (Many children, and adults as well, turn tail and run from a story that give a hard push to moralistic messages, as is discussed in this month’s “Growing Bookworms” post.) I think the message in good Christian fiction is delivered subtly, in small doses, giving the reader the option to take it or leave it while still being able to enjoy the story.)
Christian fiction really has a bad rep in some circles, where any story with no sex, no violence, no cursing, and no vice, it is believed that the reading of which might be comparable to eating white rice with no seasonings. Christian fiction, from my view, is a tale which portrays Christian beliefs and values in its character’s lifestyles. I think the historical may even be flavored a little more heavily with this, because in days of past Christian lifestyles were more prominent. That could explain why historicals and westerns, like those we’ve looked at here lend themselves so readily to the Christian aspects. I’m guessing that it would more difficult, although not impossible, to work Christian aspects into a futuristic work of science fiction or fantasy, but I have seen them worked into thrillers and mysteries, and they are easily worked into contemporary romance.
Most Christian fiction stories that I’ve read are heart-warming and inspirational, and I’ve walked away with a warm feeling at the story’s end, as if there might actually be hope left for this world, or for love, or humanity, depending on the individual story. In short, Christian fiction works are stories which are written for Christian readers. But you don’t have to be searching for something with Christian undertones to enjoy one if you come across one. A good, well-written Christian story lets the characters carry the reader through without being preachy and moralistic. The power of God shines through in the character’s lives.
Share this:
Jeff’s Movie Reviews – It Chapter Two
Posted: September 20, 2019 Filed under: Fiction, Horror, Jeff's Movie Reviews, Movies | Tags: horror, IT Chapter Two, Jeff's Movie Reviews, Writing to be Read 7 Comments
“Want your boat, Georgie?”
by Jeff Bowles
When the first big screen adaptation of Steven King’s It hit theaters two years ago, it took the world by storm. Audiences found it incredibly unnerving, disturbing, and twisted. In other words, it was everything fans of the most important horror writer of the 20th century (and maybe even the 21st century) could want. Part one of the It saga is a coming of age story, a love letter to the kinds of urban legends that have haunted the young and the young-at-heart for generations. I mean for cripes sake, a killer clown? Nightmare fuel, right? And one considered top-notch by critics and movie-goers alike. Too bad that 2017 modern classic was only half the story.
It Chapter Two wastes no time catching up with the heroes of the first movie, the Losers Club, the same rowdy bunch of kids who stopped that pesky, evil-as-all-hell clown (or whatever he is) before his spree of terror and death could claim one more fragile life in the fictional town of Derry, Maine. The Losers are all adults now, and though they’ve forgotten a surprising amount of their battle with the eponymous monster, most of them, after a fashion, choose to remember and honor the oath they took together to return to Derry if and when the nightmare began again.
That’s the problem with evil immortal-monster-alien-clown-shapeshifter thingies. They just don’t take no for an answer. The cast of Chapter Two is suitably star-studded. Jessica Chastain plays the adult Beverly, who possibly had the most to deal with in the first film, mostly due to an abusive father. She’s still suffering at the hands of an abysmally abusive man, her husband, which is sad, though annoyingly ham-fisted in the ludicrous fashion with which the guy goes from zero-to-full-on-rage without any believable provocation. Stephen King has never been known for subtlety, and It Chapter Two suffers from it. Not that the movie’s problems begin and end with the author.
Bill (James McAvoy), Richie (Bill Hader), Mike (Isaiah Mustafa), Ben (Jay Ryan), and Eddie (James Ransone) join Beverly back in Derry twenty-seven years after the events of movie one, each of them having lived surprisingly full lives. Well, all except for Mike, who’s spent the last three decades charting, following, and studying the supernatural killer. One of the Losers, Stan (Andy Bean), chooses to end his own life rather than set foot in that town again, which makes for a chilling prologue to the events that follow.
The first real set-piece of the movie takes place at the fan-favorite Chinese restaurant, a scene even the 1990 made-for-TV It nailed. It’s more adult and much creepier this time, and the dialog flows about as well as the original banter Steven King committed to the page. Then of course there’s the main event, the monster himself, played once again by Bill Skarsgard. Holly cannoli, this guy is freaky. Unfortunately, director Andy Muschietti makes the mistake of giving us less of him. In fact, less is the watchword for the entire exercise.
It Chapter Two is bloated and water-logged, just like that one guy It killed in … never mind. The only significant moments of cogency and relatability occur in flashbacks to the Losers as kids. These brief indulgences serve to remind us just how comparatively focused part one was, and we can’t help but feel a slight twinge of nostalgia for a movie that’s only two years old.
The cast does a great job exploring their characters’ unique personalities and allowing us to feel true terror when the big moments arise. But the film seems far too interested in pondering and extolling the concept rather than pushing it forward. Stephen King may be one of the most beloved pop-fiction writers of all time, but a second-parter built on what amounts to little more than a scavenger hunt? Yee-ikes. Don’t get me wrong, I love The Stand, Carrie, The Shining, and many others, as much as the next guy. Some of those books used long-windedness to their advantage. I hear they’re adapting The Stand next. Fingers crossed, all you kooky King nuts.
The climax of the film is impressive if confounding. By the time we get there, it’s become apparent the It saga has suffered from the same disjointed sequel-manufacturing other literary adaptations indulged in (Harry Potter, Hunger Games, and Twilight, I’m looking at you). Funnily enough, Marvel Studios’ big Avengers two-parter—released in 2018 and 2019, respectively—managed the trick in a much neater fashion, but then, those movies are actually two separate stories blended into one, whereas the It saga feels like, well, a nicely-structured opener and an obligatory half-waisted capstone.
Which isn’t to say It Chapter Two doesn’t have its moments. With high production values, an excellent cast, and a willingness to scare no matter what it takes, the movie can’t help but hit the mark more often than it misses. It’s just that the scenario doesn’t get as much breathing room this time. Scratch that. The problem is the scenario gets far too much breathing room.
Writing to Be Read gives It Chapter Two a six out of ten.
Not a truly poor nor truly serviceable adaptation, but who knows? Maybe when you binge both movies together, Chapter Two feels more satisfying. Is it possible a freakish clown lured us all down into his favorite storm sewer and made a nice, toothy snack of our expectations? I guess it could be worse. We could’ve buried a beloved dog in a pet cemetery, rented out a room at a haunted Colorado hotel, or engaged in interstate mayhem with a possessed car. Ooph. What a way to make a living.
Check out Jeff Bowles Central on YouTube – Movies – Video Games – Music – So Much More!
You can keep up on what Jeff’s been watching and catch all of his great movie reviews the third Friday of each month. Subscribe to email or follow on WordPress today
Share this:
Into the Catskills
Posted: September 18, 2019 Filed under: Books, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Inspiration, Post-Apocalyptic, Writing, Writing for a YA Audience, Young Adult | Tags: Bunker Boy, Historical Fiction, Historical Inspiration, Inspiration, Jordan Elizabeth, Post-Apocalyptic, Writing for a YA Audience, Writing to be Read Leave a comment
I’m a huge history lover, so anything old has always sparked my interest. I imagine that an old building can tell me the secrets of the past. If I walk through its ancient doors, I’ll be transported back in time. I’ll be able to experience everything that came before.
It hasn’t yet, but I’m still hoping.
One day I was bored, probably tired from work, and decided to look at abandoned buildings online. I was scrolling through Pinterest and voila, there was a beautiful, crumbling resort. The image showed an old pool. Vines crept up broken windows and ferns fought their way through cracked cement. It was beautiful and haunting. I clicked to learn more, and discovered it was a resort from the Catskills.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
In their heyday (1920s through the 1960s), the Catskill Mountains were home to numerous fancy resorts. People came from all over to experience the thrill of the mountains. Many New Yorkers left the city to experience the calm of the country. The popular movie, Dirty Dancing, takes place at a resort in the Catskills.
Overtime, interest waned. From articles I read online, it seems that the readily people could travel on airplanes to distant wonderlands, the less they wanted to travel upstate. There are still some resorts left and I hope to vacation there someday. I must admit, though, the abandoned resorts fascinate me more than the ones still standing.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
While looking at more pictures of those abandoned resorts, a story idea came to me. The world ends and the remains of civilization are holed up inside a crumbling hotel. Thus was born my post-apocalyptic novella, BUNKER BOY. If you decide to read it, let me know what you think! I’d love to know if it has inspired you, too, to check out the old memories of the Catskills.
Jordan Elizabeth is a young adult fantasy author. She is most likely gazing at something in awe, something she will soon include in one of her novels. You can connect with Jordan via her website, JordanElizabethBooks.com.
Want to be sure not to miss any of Jordan’s Writing for a YA Audience segments? Subscribe to Writing to be Read for e-mail notifications whenever new content is posted or follow WtbR on WordPress.
Share this:
“Chatting with the Pros”: Interview with bestselling Christian fiction author Angela Hunt
Posted: September 16, 2019 Filed under: Author Profile, Books, Chatting with the Pros, Christian fiction, Fiction, Interview, Writing | Tags: Angela Hunt, Author Interview, Chatting with the Pros, Christian fiction, Writing to be Read 5 Comments
My “Chatting with the Pros” author guest today is both versatile and prolific in her writing endeavors, writing in contemporary and historical fiction sub-genres, as well as young adult and children’s fiction and non-fiction. Though fiction, her historical novels tell the tales that could have been, revealing the women from the shadows of history. But no matter the sub-genre they all have the elements of Christian fiction. She is the bestselling author of over 180 books and winner of the 2000 Christy Award for futuristic fiction. Please help me welcome Christian fiction author Angela Hunt.
Kaye: When did you first know that you wanted to become a writer?
Kaye: What separates Christian fiction from the rest of the pack?
Angela: I don’t write only Christian fiction, but when I do, I try to make sure there’s a spiritual plot line as well as a general plot line and a character arc. Most of my novels for the Christian market are parables—not preachy, but there is a Christian takeaway if you look for it.
Kaye: You write about historical characters that not much is known about them. How do you complete the picture and create fully developed and well-rounded characters from the little information about them that has been handed down through time?
Kaye: Which of your characters would you say is your favorite? Why?
Kaye: Do you prefer to write series books or stand-alone novels? Why?
Kaye: Which of your novels do you feel is the best writing you have ever done? Why?
Kaye: Is there anything unique or unusual about your writing process?
Kaye: What is your biggest writing accomplishment to date?
Kaye: What can you tell me about your most recent and upcoming releases: Jerusalem’s Queen and King’s Shadow?
Kaye: What did winning the Christy mean to you?
Kaye: Would you like to say a little about the writing courses that you offer?
Kaye: What can readers look forward to in the future? What are you working on now?
You can catch the monthly segment “Chatting with the Pros” on the third Monday of every month in 2019, or you can be sure not to any of the great content on Writing to be Read by signing up by email or following on WordPress.
Share this:
“Texas Tears”: Christian fiction from the 2019 “Thanksgiving Books & Blessings” collection
Posted: September 13, 2019 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Christian fiction, Contemporary Romance, Fiction, romance, Western | Tags: Book Review, Caryl McAdoo, Christian fiction, Texas Tears, western romance, Writing to be Read Leave a comment
Caryl McAdoo is the founder and creator Thanksgiving Books & Blessings collection two, which was just released this past week. Her Christian western romance, Texas Tears, is book three in that collection and its my pleasure to review it here today on Writing to be Read for this month’s Christian fiction theme. (You can also catch my review of book four from this collection, Mail-Order Misfire, by Davalynn Spencer here.)
Some of the transitions in Texas Tears were abrupt and unclear, and I found myself having to reread to determine who was speaking at times, or what setting we were in, but nothing some well placed dialog tags wouldn’t fix. The historical details are accurate to time and setting, and the story itself is heartwarming, with a delightful Southern twang.
Texas Tears is the story of two young girls, childhood friends and cousins, Miss Arlene Van Zandt and Miss Charity O’Neal, both hoping for their perfect dream man, with their sites set on one in particular. The same one, Hart de Vecchi. Hart seems content to be the wedge driven between the two friends while he tries to make up his mind, but by playing with the hearts of both women, he risks ending up alone.
A story of love, faith, and endurance. Texas Tears is everything a Christian western romance should be. I give it four quills.
Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? Contact Kaye at kayebooth(at)yahoo(dot)com.
Share this:
Should there be messages/morals in children’s books?
Posted: September 11, 2019 Filed under: Books, Character Development, Children's Books, Fairy Tales, Fiction, Showing vs. Telling, Voice, Writing | Tags: Children's Books, Children's Stories, Children's Writing, Growing Bookworms, Robbie Cheadle, Writing to be Read 46 Comments
The idea that children’s picture books should contain a strong moral or message seems to be very popular among authors of books for young people. This notion probably emanates from parents and caregivers who are of the view that books are a tool for instructing their young, especially in our modern world of so many more risks to the welfare our children than ever before.
This idea does, however, always bring to my mind the lyrics of the song, A British Nanny sung by David Tomlinson, from the original movie of Mary Poppins:
“A British nanny must be a general!
The future empire lies within her hands
And so the person that we need to mold the breed
Is a nanny who can give commands!
Mr Banks: Are you getting this Winifred?
Mrs Banks: Oh yes dear, every word
A British bank is run with precision
A British home requires nothing less!
Tradition, discipline, and rules must be the tools
Without them – disorder!
Catastrophe!
Anarchy – In short you have a ghastly mess!”
This is an amusing song and you can listen to it here:
The idea of a story or picture book containing a message is not a bad one. It is very much about how the message is presented in the story that will decide whether the book appeals to children or not. After all, children’s writers want to write books that children want to read again and again, not books that their parents think they should read.
My own children have taught me that children run a mile when they think that a book contains an overt moral or message. With this in mind, how then can a parent or caregiver select a book that both teaches and entertains?
Firstly, what the reader will takeaway from the story should be considered. It is not necessary to write out a moral at the end of a tale in the manner of Aesop’s Fables, the message can be subtle, for example, a polluted river that poisons a river or lake and results in all the fish and water creatures dying and the resolution of that predicament by cleaning up the river and preventing future contamination of the water. Children will understand the message without it being spelled out for them.
Some other tips for choosing books that will entertain as well as teach children are as follows:
- Make sure that the book is character driven with memorable characters that make the reader care about them. For example in Heidi by Johanna Spyri, the author makes the reader really care about Heidi, Clara and even Grandfather as he changes from a grumpy old man into a tender caregiver. I can remember crying when Heidi goes away from Grandfather to live with Clara in the city;
- The language and voice of the story should be suitable for a child and should be interesting and fun. The idea of family members all helping each other and their parents is strongly conveyed in Enid Blyton’s Faraway Tree series of books through the expectations of the parents and the behavior of, and awareness of their family dynamics by, the children;
- Showing and not telling is another essential ingredient to a good children’s story. I think Roald Dahl is a master and demonstrating exactly where unkind and selfish behavior gets you in life, think of the fate of the two aunts in James and the Giant Peach or the Twits from the book of the same name.
What do you think about children’s books that contain messages? Should they be subtle or overt? Let me know in the comments.
About Robbie Cheadle
Hello, my name is Robbie, short for Roberta. I am an author with six published children’s picture books in the Sir Chocolate books series for children aged 2 to 9 years old (co-authored with my son, Michael Cheadle), one published middle grade book in the Silly Willy series and one published preteen/young adult fictionalised biography about my mother’s life as a young girl growing up in an English town in Suffolk during World War II called While the Bombs Fell (co-authored with my mother, Elsie Hancy Eaton). All of my children’s book are written under Robbie Cheadle and are published by TSL Publications.
I have recently branched into adult and young adult horror and supernatural writing and, in order to clearly differential my children’s books from my adult writing, I plan to publish these books under Roberta Eaton Cheadle. My first supernatural book published in that name, Through the Nethergate, is now available.
I have two short stories in the horror/supernatural genre included in Dark Visions, a collection of 34 short stories by 27 different authors and edited by award winning author, Dan Alatorre. I also have three short stories in Death Among Us, a collection of short murder mystery stories by 10 different authors and edited by Stephen Bentley. These short stories are all published under Robbie Cheadle.
I have recently published a book of poetry called Open a new door, with fellow South African poet, Kim Blades.
Find Robbie Cheadle
Blog: https://bakeandwrite.co.za/
Blog: robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com
Goodreads: Robbie Cheadle – Goodreads
Twitter: BakeandWrite
Instagram: Robbie Cheadle – Instagram
Facebook: Sir Chocolate Books
Want to be sure not to miss any of Robbie’s Growing Bookworms segments? Subscribe to Writing to be Read for e-mail notifications whenever new content is posted or follow WtbR on WordPress.
Share this:
Interview with Christian Romance author Caryl McAdoo
Posted: September 9, 2019 Filed under: Books, Christian fiction, Fiction, Interview, romance, Western, Writing | Tags: Author Interview, Author Profile, Christian fiction, Texas Tears, Thanksgiving Books and Blessings, western romance, Writing to be Read 6 Comments
As we seek out Christian fiction, I’m reviewing two books from the recently released Thanksgiving Books & Blessings collection – a gathering of Christian western romance, authored by six Christian fiction authors. I have the privilege of reviewing two books from this collection; book two: Mail-Order Misfire, by Davalynn Spencer, last Friday, and book three: Texas Tears, by Caryl McAdoo. In addition to reviewing these Christian western romances, I’m pleased to be interviewing both authors. Last Monday, Davalynn was my guest, and today I have the pleasure today of chatting with the author of Texas Tears and founder of the Thanksgiving Books & Blessings collections, Caryl McAdoo. Please give her a big welcome.
Caryl: Hey, Kaye! It’s great being here with you, and I want to thank you again for this opportunity. I love meeting new bloggers who enjoy reading!
Kaye: It’s great to have you here. To start, can you share a little about your author’s journey? How did you come to be a Christian fiction author?
Caryl: My husband Ron and I wrote a three hundred eighty-five page novel by HAND back in the late 1980s. We paid to have it transcribed and sent it to New York! Again and again and again . . . rejections were aplenty! So in 1993, the Lord led us to a writers’ workshop where we were mentored and learned the craft of writing creative fiction.
That took six years before the first book was published in 1999. For the next nine years, we contracted an average book a year, all with smaller publishers. Then we met a New York agent at an East Texas Writers’ Conference. She said to write her a “Christian historical romance” set in the 1800s and she’d sell it. We did, and she did! To Simon and Schuster’s Howard Books Imprint! We thought we had arrived. That was our tenth title to be published, VOW UNBROKEN, and also where my dearly beloved’s name was removed from the front cover. First the agent then the editor at S&S said one author’s name was best, and female’s preferred for the genre.
So though we were Christians most our lives and our first ten titles were “clean” for the most part. It was our agent who caused us to write our first ‘Christian’ book. And we still write them all together—that’s why I have such strong heroes. We love discussing the story’s plot and about the characters. I adopted the tagline “Praying my story gives God glory!” and that’s exactly what I do! It’s a joy writing clean novels with no cursing and no on-scene intimacies!
Plus, I love the “community of Christian authors and readers. It is such a blessing and honor to serve God’s Kingdom on earth by writing.
Kaye: When did you know that you wanted to become an author?
Caryl: Well now, that goes WAY back to 1962 when I was in the 7th grade and wrote a homework essay on what I’d be doing in the year 2000. I was twelve then and would be fifty in 2000. I wrote about being an “intergallactically” famous author rocketing from planet to planet autographing books! But what can I say? The space program let me down!
Kaye: What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
(image of HEARTS book cover)(image TEARS book cover)
Caryl: Most of the time, I’m marketing! After Simon and Schuster, I learned about “Indie publishing” or putting my own stories out, so that same year in the fall of 2014, I became a hybrid author—published traditionally and independently with HEARTS STOLEN. I LOVE releasing my own books!Simon and Schuster took almost two years to get VOW UNBROKEN to market. Since I went Indie, I’ve released THIRTY-SIX titles! That’s in five years!I guess after marketing, I mostly play games! Ron and I play a game called Quirkle almost every day at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.We’re very competitive and keep all the scores and stats and know who won the most games for the month and had the most points accumulated.We also play bridge Thursday nights and once a month on Tuesday at our bridge clubs, and there’s a couple who comes to our house every Friday night to play,too. We take turns fixin’ dinner. One night a week is planned or dinner and games at my son’s, usually Farkle.
Kaye: What is the biggest challenge of writing Christian fiction?
Caryl: Hmm . . . I guess I’d have to say getting the stories out there to the readers. To me, there’s no challenge in the actual writing. In the beginning there was — understanding point of view! POV was not easy to grasp, but once you’ve got it, you’ve got it! An author’s good understanding of POV is why readers feel like they are right there IN the story WITH the characters; why they love the characters so much.There was a LOT of other stuff to learn, but it was easy to get. After writing as many books as I have now, the writing isn’t really a challenge. I’d say it’s fun and rewarding, exhilarating!
Kaye: What is the biggest joy of writing Christian fiction?
Caryl: Working with so many awesome people! Readers and authors and promotion folks, the whole nine yards! I get to write awesome stories that help people learn to forgive, stop worrying, not be fearful, watch the words they say . . . doing all these things cause one’s life to be more peaceful. If they get the principles down,they will find they have more joy, too. What a blessing to affect lives in such a positive way!
Kaye: You write in several sub-genres of Christian fiction: both historical and contemporary romance, Biblical fiction, and mid-grade/young adults. Which is your favorite to write in? Why?
Caryl: Without a doubt, my favorite is the historical romance genre. I love the stories of falling in love and the gentler times of bygone days. Folks worked hard, and families stuck together back then. Women were more modest, and children had plenty of time to be kids. Most of the time, Father went to work and earned the income that housed and fed the family while Mother stayed home to keep the house, cook, and care everyone. Children helped out, too. They felt no entitlement and didn’t resent their chores. It was what was expected. They didn’t have air conditioning back then or so many of our modern-day conveniences, but they had each other and shared so much that the younger generations today have no concept of. Those adventurous souls who left hearth and home to settle the new lands in the West were a rare breed indeed.
Kaye: Texas Tears is your most recent novel, featured in the Thanksgiving Books & Blessings Collection. What can you tell me about that story?
Caryl: It’s a continuation of my Cross Timbers Romance Family Saga, book three, and there’s a big Thanksgiving dinner surprise at the end. Set in 1845, the Texas Congress is deciding whether to join the Union or remain a Republic, thus the“Texas tears.” Plus there’s this one handsome Prince Charming kind of fellow and two best friends both think they love him . . . more tears. It’s a romance and there’s a happily ever after for at least one of the young women.
Kaye: What is the Thanksgiving Books & Blessings Collection and how did you get involved in the project?
Caryl: Back in 2013, I planned a multi-author Facebook party I called the Thanksgiving Books & Blessings Bash, inviting some of my author friends to participate. That’s my favorite holiday of the year. I did that every November following until last year in 2018.
Since it was the event’s fifth anniversary, I wanted it to be special, so I came up with the collection idea and asked the authors that year to write a Thanksgiving story. I had nine that first year, and so this will be the second year for the collection. I’m so excited about having Mary Connealy, Samantha Bayarr, Allison Pittman, Davalynn Spencer, and Liz Tolsma joining me this year! It’s going to be so special! We’re all writing stand-alone novels or novellas with Thanksgiving playing a big part in the story. Readers loved the idea last year, and this year is already surpassing all my expectations. I suspect it will grow every year as I plan on keeping it going!
Kaye:What do you think is the most important element that makes a Christian story?
Caryl: To my way of thinking, all Christian stories will be free from on-scene intimacies and cursing. But what makes it ‘Christian’ is at least one character, maybe several, who live their lives seeking God, His Word and wisdom. I try to include themes such as dealing with fear or worry, the value of forgiveness, responding in love when hurt or disappointed instead of anger or bitterness.
This all makes for some great conflict. In TEXAS TEARS, one of the young heroines has a wonderful character arc, from being self-centered and prideful to caring for others as much as herself. So without being preachy, Godly principles are lived out through my folks.
Kaye: In addition to being an author, you also teach creative fiction. Tell me a little about that. How did you get into it? Why do you find it fulfilling?
Caryl: Well, that aspect of my daily activities came from receiving so much help and mentoring as a new writer. I want to give back, help others on their writing journey to be successful by sharing what I’ve been so privileged to learn. We all pretty much make the same mistakes when we first start.
I determined that from editing professionally for eleven years. I put out a great help a few years back in STORY & STYLE, The Craft of Writing Creative Fiction, told in an easy to understand conversational format with tons of examples. It helped me to not repeat the same things over and over.
Writing creative fiction is different from every other kind, and it can be learned. The same tools—Point of View (POV), scene and sequel, active versus passive, where to open a story to hook your reader, and a satisfying third act, bring the story to an end readers will love and remember.
But the writer must be a storyteller first, and that, I believe, is a gift. And every writer must be willing to rewrite. One of my favorite sayings is ‘Only God writes in stone, the rest of us rewrite!” I googled that one day to quote its originator, and dear Google gave me the credit. I think it might actually have been my husband.
Kaye: How many different series do you have published? Tell me a little about them.
Caryl: I have the two historical romance family saga series, Texas Romance and the Cross Timbers Romance, plus the historical collections I’m in: Lockets and Lace, Prairie Roses (covered wagon stories), Gold Diggers, and Thanksgiving Books & Blessings we’ve already discussed.
As a reader I always loved family sagas and I find I enjoy writing those just as much. I come to love the folks in them. It’s so hard to leave them behind. When my patriarch of Texas Romances passed in book eight, COVERING LOVE, I wept through the writing and the reading at my writers’ workshop!
That series has ten titles, but then there are six extras (so far) I call “Companion Books” with more tales of either ancestors or descendants. And I’ve started the new Cross Timbers that TEXAS TEARS is book three. I have a Red River Romance series of contemporary stories.
The Generations is my Biblical fiction series that so far covers from Adam to Abraham in the generations of God’s book. I love reading Biblical fiction that bring those old familiar characters to life, but am adamant that the fictional story does not deviate from the Bible’s. I mean how dare anyone think they can improve on God’s stories!
Kaye: You are pretty prolific in your writing. How many books have you released in 2019?
Caryl: Seven, and it was almost overwhelming! I believe all of them were over fifty-thousand words, but four of them are full length novels (around ninety to a hundred twenty-five thousand words). If it was just the actual writing, no problem, but being an Indie, I deal with editors and proofreaders — making their corrections and considering their suggestions, getting graphic artists to get the covers done, the formatting of the book’s interior, uploading to publish at Amazon, then the marketing with ‘Cover Reveal’ and ‘Launch’ events, and always on-going promotion.
Kaye: How big a part does networking play in the success of Christian writers?
Caryl: Huge. Christian authors for the most part all help one another. It’s beautiful how there’s so little jealousy and infighting in the community. The large majority want to see the others succeed as much as we want to be successful ourselves, so it just makes everything run so smoothly. And in God’s economy, everyone involved in any project or endeavor walks away blessed.
Kaye: What is your greatest writing accomplishment to date?
Caryl: There is one novel, my first ‘Companion Book’ that went back to the ancestors of the family first met in book nine MIGHTY TO SAVE, the Harrises, who I love. Its title is THE BED WARMER’S SON. One reader says it is her favorite all-time book of all the ones she’s read. Many called it the best of the best or my Magnum opus or my piece de resistance. I love the story, too, and have been thrilled at its reception!
Kaye: What’s next for Caryl McAdoo? What can your readers look forward to seeing from you in the future?
Caryl: Well, I’m planning five new titles in 2020. One for each of my collections — Prairie Roses, Gold Diggers, and Thanksgiving Books & Blessings, a special year as the authors will all set their stories in the Civil War era—and the Sweet Americana Sweethearts’ collection lockets and Lace, plus an extra story LEAVIN’ TEXAS for the Cross Timbers Romance Family Saga series. That one is coming in January. I’ve just passed the sixty thousand word mark writing that one.
Caryl: Thank you so much again, Kaye for inviting me to share with your readers! I so appreciate the opportunity and would like to offer a GIVEAWAY for them! For one of those commenting, I’ll send a print copy of either family saga’s book one—VOW UNBROKEN or GONE TO TEXAS, winner’s choice—AND—an eBook of the same to a second winner, so readers in other countries can win, too! (Print books to U.S. only please)
Please answer this question to enter: How many books do you prefer in a series like mine and how many is too many? (if there is such a thing)
Thank you so much Caryl for joining me here and sharing with my readers. This has truly been a fun interview. I hope everyone will be sure to take part in the giveaway by responding to her question. You can learn more about Caryl McAdoo and her many books on her website or on her Amazon Author page. And don’t forget to pick up your copy of Texas Tears today, too.
Like this post? Let me know in the comments. You can be sure not to miss any of Writing to be Read’s great content by subscribe to e-mail or following on WordPress.
Share this:
“Mail-Order Misfire”: Christian romance from the 2019 “Thanksgiving Books & Blessings” collection
Posted: September 6, 2019 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Christian fiction, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, romance, Western | Tags: Book Review, Christian fiction, Davalynn Spencer, Mail Order Misfire, Western, western romance, Writing to be Read 2 Comments
Mail-Order Misfire, by Davalynn Spencer is a Christian western romance that will touch your heart. The story is well-crafted and entertaining, with well-developed characters that you can invest in, and setting details accurate to time period for authenticity. You’ve got to love young Gracie as she takes on the role of matchmaker for her unsuspecting father. It expertly portrays the Christian values of the historic west with a flare that draws you into the story and won’t let go.
Etta Collier is recently widowed and desperately looking for a way to get out from under the predatory banker who wants to claim all that her William left behind in this world, including her! A well-intended letter from young Gracie Stidham requesting a mail-order bride for her father and mother for herself, provides the only answer in sight, so she packs a bag and leaves her previous life behind, setting off for Lockton, Colorado with hope in her heart, as well as a fear of what might lie ahead. The results are a true love story as Etta, Gracie and her father Burn, who is both the preacher and the sheriff, come to terms with the rather awkward situation her arrival stirs and learn to love one another.
Mail-Order Misfire is a thoroughly engaging western romance that emphasizes Christian values without being ‘preachy’ in the least. An well-crafted example of Christian fiction that I give five quills.
Mail-Order Misfire is book two of the newly released Thanksgiving Books & Blessings Collection, available now on Amazon.
