Blog Archives
Ulan
Ulan, by Rick Stepp-Bolling, is a prequel to The Patch Man. The story follows Ulan as she navigates a war between Summia and Imperia. Ulan comes into her own and sets the stage for many other characters in this novel. Ulan is a young girl in a poor living situation. Her father is a shell of the man he was before the war and abuses his wife and daughter. Ulan is outside of the compound after curfew and surrounded by six boys, taunting her, and making her feel unsafe. A militia, the Imperial Panthers, put an end to their actions by brutally killing the boys. Ulan is left alive to send a message to others in the compound. What Ulan witnessed changes her forever and puts her on a path to finding herself and her strength.
The thing that stood out to me with this book, looking back, is the characters. The characters in this intrepid adventure story were all methodically developed throughout the book and felt like thoughtfully crafted and layered characters by the end of the novel. Each character had their own unique development but kept the reader always wanting to learn more about them. I know I was looking forward to seeing how they would react to certain situations I saw coming.
The relationship between Bas, Ulan, and Tara were my favorite to read about throughout the novel. Bas is tasked with leading Ulan out of the compound and decides she is worthy of saving. He brings her to a sanctuary where she can learn how to use her gift and control herself. Tara is a Lore Mistress who becomes meaningful to Ulan and helps her learn their ways. Tragedy strikes at the sanctuary which prompts Ulan to get revenge. Reading about the strength Ulan develops and seeing who she becomes was the best part of the story. While I thought the characters well developed throughout the story, I would’ve liked to have known more about the character’s backgrounds.
The second thing that stood out to me was the intriguing detail that is infused within this post-apocalyptic world. It is a world that sets your imagination alight and is filled with fascinating things that add color and depth to the world.
Ulan sends a young woman, and readers, on a perilous adventure that is consistently entertaining. If you are a science fiction fan looking for a gripping story that is driven by a strong female character than this is a fantasy novel that will be hard to put down.
Pages: 283 | ASIN: B09LPS299M
It’s Prime For A Serial Killer
Requiem follows a unique team from the U.S. Marshal department as they hunt a serial killer using some unconventional methods. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
First, the setting is urban, maquiladora, twin manufacturing plants or twin fruit/vegetable plants. I know this area of Reynosa and McAllen, TX very well. I built three industrial plants in three years with twin plants in Reynosa and in Hidalgo County, across the River. I know the worker schedules and hardships. There are multinational plant managers in Reynosa which often do not take into consideration local worker culture. At the same time, the manufacturing plants for automotive parts and scientific instruments must maintain international quality control procedures. It’s prime for a serial killer.
Did you create an outline for the characters in the story before you started writing or did the characters personalities grow organically as you were writing?
The story flows organically from the land of the border and the characters that live there. Most of the inhabitants of the RGV (Rio Grande Valley) and their families have lived there long before Americans invaded this area a little over a hundred years ago. For a better understanding of the borders, recall the hyper-aggressive American forces that took this area by force without reparations. It’s helpful in understanding the real problem with immigration. Within the last fifty years, recall the United States manipulation of the governments of all of Central America and Mexico, and the internal chaos that ensued. These tactics caused social and political unrest, in Central America and Haiti especially, pushing those citizens to flee. Because of our manipulative foreign policies, we need to better understand the sea of humanity surging to the border and understand that, as Americans, we are morally obligated to help the immigrants who have suffered due to our foreign policies.
Did you do a lot of research to maintain the accuracy of the Native American shaman practices?
No, I know a number of Native Americans.
What can you tell readers about book three in the series and when will it be available?
Hallelujah is available now on Amazon. Requiem will release June 21 and Reservoir will follow on July 26. All can be found on Amazon.com.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website
U.S. Federal Marshal Gabriella Zamora, and her team, brought shocking revelations to the surface when they solved the case of a U.S. Border Patrol Agent murdered on a remote highway in Texas. Coming face-to-face with those who wished to destroy them should have earned Gabe and her special ops team a brief rest. Instead, within hours of their success, an even more terrifying challenge is assigned…a mission to stop a serial killer whose brutal attacks on women working in Mexico warehouses are escalating with each new victim.
Gabe, along with Marshal Alex Ranslow—a Native American shaman who ‘sees’ things others cannot; Sam DeSilva—the team’s IT genius; and Cyn Beauvoir—a woman with the power to take down an entire gang, race to the Rio Grande Valley where their hunt begins.
The team soon finds themselves thrust into a war involving drug kingpins, political enemies, and a psychotic mind. Not only will this Borderland Mystery test the strength, wit, and courage of the marshals, it will also be the catalyst that forces Gabe to deal with past relationships that were, most likely, better off left for dead.
I Love the Element of Surprise
Mammoth Drop follows a scientist to the Black Hills where she finds herself knee-deep in mammoth bones and a murder mystery. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
The Black Hills, and South Dakota in general, is heaven for geologists. In fact, most geologists have to do a field season out West as part of our degrees. I studied in South Dakota and Wyoming in the early 90’s and was blown away by the beauty of the landscape. I’ve also worked with paleontologists who have spent their lives studying mammoths and they’re just as marvelous as the animals they study. I wrote Mammoth Drop to celebrate both their legacy and to share the breathtaking scenery of the region with readers.
Kea Wright is an intriguing and well-developed character. What were some driving ideals behind her character’s development?
Kea is smart, kind, and terrible with people. Like many scientists that work in the field for months at a time, Kea suffers from broken relationships, a low self esteem, and bouts of depression. I wanted to create a heroine where those attributes, both good and bad, are superpowers: they’re external to the group, often forced to think differently, and wind up in places they shouldn’t be. While a reluctant heroine, I love Kea and I hope that readers will as well.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book (and what can readers expect in Book 4)?
Each book in the Kea Wright series has a unique theme. Cold Flood examines how being put under intense pressure can and release something inside ourselves that we never knew existed. The Meerkat Murders examines the concept of altruism, Mammoth Drop explores extinction, while Murder on Masaya examines sacrifice. Each book also has a different tone. Mammoth Drop is absolutely a camp romp full of drinking and dancing to celebrate a scientist and his life’s work. In contrast, the final story, Murder on Masaya,(released in 2021) is a much darker story about the hazards that scientists undertake to gather data and the sacrifices people make for their family. These changes in tone are deliberate because, growing up, my favorite television show was Doctor Who – you never knew where the next story would take you, it could be the distant past or the far future, or be a comedy or a tragedy. I loved that element of surprise. These books are very much in the same vein and I hope readers enjoy the variety.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
There Is No Perfect Way To Exist Or Heal
Bluebird At My Window follows two lawyers as they work through the traumatic facts surrounding the case while dealing with their own. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
It’s funny, the start of Bluebird actually started in a creative writing class back in college around 2011. A writing prompt had us draw a color and an animal, then create a story from that pairing. I drew blue and bird and started writing the letter from Ann (the letter that shows up during the trial in the book). From there the idea for Arthur sprung up and for a while the story was just his. But overtime I added more perspectives until I had four of the five (Arthur, Richard, Marie, and Maddie).
It wasn’t until I read The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath that the real focus of the book came to me (mental health and processing trauma) as well as the importance of Diane’s story. As soon as I finished reading The Bell Jar I wrote the majority of Diane’s perspective and revisioned the story to better reflect the new direction of the book. I had already been building to the main focus of the story without realizing it but still needed to fine tune certain aspects.
This book is chilling and emotional. What drew you to the genre of dark contemporary and psychological fiction?
I think it drew itself to me to be honest. I’ve always been fascinated by the human mind, why people decide to do the best and worst things and what drives those decisions. For me the human experience is rarely black and white or just good or bad, so it was important to me to show the greys within my characters. To bring understanding to each without glorifying their more hurtful actions or decisions. When the focus of Bluebird became clear I let myself drift into the worst and best within each of them and when I finished writing I realized these two genres was where I ended up.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
It was important to me to highlight the individuality in responses to both mental health and trauma as well as unique lived experiences For each character. I gave my full attention to each with research, even if it covered topics that I had some background in. I also had several sensitivity readings done on the overall content with more focus on characters with lived experiences I did not have personal insight into in order to make the characters as realistic as possible.
In the end I was hoping readers would be able to find a character they connected with or have a part of the story speak to them. Something that could make them feel less alone and see that there is no perfect way to exist or heal.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The main project I’m working on is a Queer Historical Fiction which focuses on found family, finding comfort in your own skin, and the idea that soulmates aren’t always the people you fall in love with but the people who help you fall in love with yourself. Unfortunately the research for the project is proving to be more intensive than I first thought and will likely take more time to complete.
I am working on a second project in the meantime which I believe I can get out sooner. It is an Urban Fantasy with Horror elements. In short it will be Sapphic and about defying destiny, though as I have just started working on the first draft exact details are hard to pin down since they may still change. I’m hoping to publish it sometime in the fall of next year.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Would you survive, succumb, or lose yourself to your own meaning of justice?
Ann was only seventeen when she died. She tried to be a dutiful daughter, to pray, to repent. But it wasn’t enough. Her mother, Diane, didn’t mean to kill her but when she found Ann consorting with devils, she had no choice. She believed the angels—that in the end, the water would save them both.
But every choice holds weight.
One death, and Arthur is thrown back into the work he wanted to leave. One death, and Richard must face the reality of his choices. One death, and Maddie and Marie are confronted with the hardest parts of love.
If only good intentions were enough to keep them from the carnage of their own decisions . . .
A dark contemporary fiction drenched in blood, this debut novel from H. Noah has an intricate true crime feeling with psychological depth.
Content WarningThe following book centers around processing trauma. Please be aware that it will touch upon such topics as violence, sexual assault (not overly descriptive), racism, microaggressions, misogyny, incest, and homophobia. This book also focuses on mental health and will cover depression, anxiety, PTSD, suicidal ideation, hearing voices, religious fixations, delusions, self-harm, and drug abuse.
This book is dark due to the topics covered. This is not a horror or thriller meant to scare you. Please be kind to yourself and put the book back if you are not in a good place to read any of the things mentioned above.
Mammoth Drop: Murder, Mammoths, and Mimosas
Mammoth Drop – A paleontological site that is home to an abundance of ancient Mammoth fossils. Upon the request of her old friend Harry, Kea Wright embarks on a trip to the treasured site for sightseeing. But Kea’s visit soon takes an unfortunate turn as she finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery. Unable to fathom who could be culpable for such an atrocious crime she extends her visit to expose the killer. Kea realizes that just like the depth of the entities of the Drop, this murderer will only be exposed by digging deep into the past.
Mammoth Drop by R.J. Corgan explores the concepts of extinction with Kea Wright a geologist determined to excavate the secrets buried in this archeological site. On this journey, she attempts to narrow down the murder suspects but endangers herself by being right in the killer’s sights.
Award-winning author R.J. Corgan delivers vivid details with brilliance; the characters are well articulated and authentically reflect raw emotions. The idea of experiencing a mystery in an unfamiliar but fascinating locale stimulates the interest of the reader from inception. The author is adept at merging historic facts with creative fiction elements to present an enthralling narrative. Similar to how paleontologists strive to build connections while extracting fossils, Corgan’s novel give readers an exciting opportunity to connect dots and unmask the mystery.
This book takes readers on a riveting scientific expedition. A perfectly encapsulated read for cozy murder mystery genre enthusiasts who like playing detective in a story that will leave you with an adrenaline rush. Corgan often places his readers in extraordinary sites that exude adventure. I would highly recommend Mammoth Drop to readers looking for a paleo history fiction novel that reflects on the meaning of life.
Pages: 235 | ASIN: B09TRNTPCF
Fits Her to a T
Maher has always known something was different about his mind and his body. Living what amounts to a lie, Maher begins to understand what it is his mind is trying to tell him, and he seeks help to sort out his life. Making the necessary changes to live a happy life won’t be the difficult part. The truly hard part will be telling his family, friends, and coworkers. Maher, wanting very much to move forward and leave the trauma of his past behind, becomes Zoë and a new life begins.
Fits Her to a T, by Alice Xavanéro, chronicles the life of Zoë van Vixenhoven, a transgender woman in the process of leaving behind the life she has always known as a son and brother. The feelings she has battled since early in her life have haunted her and made for a troubled existence. Once she decides to pursue transitioning, there is no turning back even though the obstacles in her way feel almost insurmountable.
Xavanéro has chosen to tell Zoë’s story primarily through diary entries. The diary entries are thorough and read much less like a journal and more like a first-person narrative. I especially enjoyed the author’s choice of writing style. The reading flows smoothly and creates a connection between readers and characters. Readers are taken on a journey through Zoë’s experiences leading up to her decision to seek counseling in preparation to make this life-altering change. The author’s ability to draw readers in via Zoë’s journal is unique and, honestly, an incredibly effective technique I appreciated immensely.
The author’s knowledge of medical terminology, processes, and counseling procedures and advice are all especially thorough. She leaves no stone unturned and allows readers to see the entire experience of transitioning from informing family members and making the necessary changes in the work environment to hormone therapy and gender reassignment surgery. It is clear that Xavanéro wants her readers to understand the struggle from making the decision to dealing with consequences along the way. She does not shy away from difficult topics like hate crimes and estrangement of family, friends, and coworkers. This is just one aspect of Xavanéro’s writing that I truly appreciated. The author’s willingness to be frank and open with Zoë’s entire experience is impactful on many levels.
I am giving Fits Her to a T, by Alice Xavanéro, 5 out of 5 stars. Xavanéro’s story is an important one and in no way tries to make light of the decision-making process transgender women must face as they choose to be themselves. Though very different from most books I usually choose, I found Xavanéro’s work to be one well-worth reading. Zoë’s story is captivating, and I found myself completely wrapped up in her experiences. I recommend this book to anyone who finds themselves questioning the experiences of loved ones who may be transgender. The author, as she reveals in the book’s afterword, knows whereof she speaks–her novel reveals a truth most of us will only come to understand if we take the time to listen to those who are living it.
Pages: 434 | ISBN : 9798402791947
Bluebird At My Window
Bluebird At My Window by H. Noah is not the story of a single person, but multiple characters who found their voice in this book. All of those characters played a relevant part in the story and readers are able to understand their pains and purposes clearly.
It begins with a criminal case, the case of Ann, and the events turn more violent as time passes. Arthur and Marie are two lawyers involved in this case, and readers see the psychological impact this case has upon Arthur. Marie faces physical and sexual assault, and Arthur is also hurt while trying to help her. The trauma that follows is told in shocking detail as the author takes readers into the minds of the victims as they experience their emotions.
This complex book is a mixture of genres. It is filled with Biblical references, mystical elements, and mysteries. The author points out the racism faced by the characters, the crime, and the trauma they face, and readers will experience it firsthand. The case of Ann explores one part of the horrific event, whereas a parallel plot runs by in Arthur’s mind who wants to leave this world a better place but is unable to help much. The psychological peek into the mind of the characters provide a compelling study of human nature.
Marie and Maddie provide some instances of mental relief from the dark themes through their wholesome relationship. When Marie gets assaulted, and the trauma plagues her, it was realistic to read about the mental struggles she endured as well as the struggles of the people who love her. The acceptance of the events and the acceptance struggles surrounding entering therapy by the characters has been masterfully portrayed by the author.
Bluebird At My Window is a dark contemporary novel filled with vivid imagery and situations. Readers that enjoy psychological fiction, diving into the dark emotions of the characters, will find this a worthwhile read. Due to the graphic nature of content in this book, including emotional and physical trauma, I think this novel is intended for a mature audience.
Pages: 298 | ASIN : B09LD387NL
