Mary O'Malley has decided it's time to let the world know about the weave that divides the physical world from the realms of the gods. After all, Hanover Fist has been investigating their shennanigans for nearly 100 years and she's got every bit of it documented. Although Mary will lead the blog, she expects guests to drop in, including Toledo Cats, Regan Worth, and Hanover Fist himself.
Gone, baby gone. Love is gone...
Actually it's us that's gone. To India. To track down frogs. Whatever. All I know is it's hot here. My hair is a disaster and the air stinks like vomit. But Hanover's on a quest and so here we are, tracking down frogs to see if they're minions of Khrou-ach. Geeesh! It's hard to even find a decent cocktail.
If I make it sound dismal, it's because it IS dismal. And guess what....a week here and we haven't even come across a single ribbiting being. Not one. So I said, "Come on, Hanover. Let's give up this mess and go to Afganistan, partake of a little poppyseed."
Can you believe he said NO!? He's becoming an old fuddy-duddy. Back in the day....well, no, even then he didn't smoke the poppy. But I did...oh yes, I did. And I inhaled...deeply.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Now...don't be startled. I know my face is not familiar...that I'm not one of the characters who usually blog here. The truth is, I'm not one. I'm one of the authors of Dime Store Novel and I've hijacked the blog for the day. Why? you ask.
Because I came to ask to borrow the blog and found them all gone. Mary's laptop was open to Hanover ramblings about frogs and Hanover's typewriter held a single sheet of paper that reads:
It seems as if the Storm is organizing
Whatever that means. For me it means I had to hijack the blog to share my thoughts on a book I just read, Nearly Departed in Deadwood by Ann Charles. Because I liked this book so much, I am joining an effort along with other independent writers to make it a Bestseller for a Day on Amazon.
One thing I really liked about Nearly Departed is that it kept me guessing the whole way through. I read a lot and find that I can often guess the ending about halfway through. As I read Nearly Departed, I made as many wrong guesses as right -- and never predicted the who, how, and why behind the disappearing girls.
I also really enjoyed the quirky characters, particularly Harvey. He made me smile in the opening scene and by the end of the book, he'd done a bunch of things that tickled me. Not that he was the only fun character. Violet's two kids both worried and thrilled me because I saw so many other kids I knew in them.
Let's not forget romance. Violet is not involved in a love triangle -- its a different geometric shape that keeps on shifting throughout the story. Yes, Ann Charles even keeps you guessing at the love angle.
Have I intrigued you? I hope so because I'd hate for you to miss out on this great read. The best news is, you can get it for your Kindle or Kindle Reader app and start reading it now Nearly Departed in Deadwood . Why wait?
And while you're there, you might want to check out these 99 cent bonus books -- discounted 9/28/2011 only.Get a rebate for your purchase price by visiting http://bestsellerforaday.com and enter to win a Kindle.
I picked up the newspaper today, just as I do every day. Not much there...until I got in deep. Then I saw the headline that made me shudder -- Scientists Discover 12 New Frog Species in India. So what, you ask? They're only frogs, you say?
Wrong. Not all frogs are what they seem. In fact, in my experience, most frogs are minions of Khrou-ach the storm god. If you doubt me, just listen next time it rains. Why else would they make a racket like the off-key hymns of worshippers, devout but tone deaf. I know, Whiskey Joe, I can't sing worth a hoot either, that's why I don't try. But these frogs, these worshippers of Khrou-ach, are obnoxious. And now I've got 12 more species of them to investigate.
Come on, girls. We'd better get packing. India's a long way off if we travel by air -- and that's how I intend to travel this time. I'm too old to realm-hop. You heard me, Mary. I said no....Damn.
What happened to August? I can't blame the missing month on a realm adventure, so I guess I'll just have to confess. We've been busy releasing The Reunion, lining up interviews so people know it's out there, and getting helping the writers with the sequel to Angels in Hell's Kitchen. I guess that's as good of an excuse as any for dropping off the face of the earth for a month.
First, the book launch. The writers decided to release The Reunion in ebook format soon. The print version will be available later this month. As Toledo said in her blog a month ago, The Reunion is kind of her coming of age story. I also make a brief appearance, but I'm young and silly in this one, so don't hold it against me. You can buy The Reunion for Kindle at Amazon and for various other formats at Smashwords.
As for interviews, you can listen to the writers talk about how they write our stories on their interview with John Rakestraw tomorrow at 10:30 AM Pacific time. The interview will also be available for listening later on if you are busy then.
On Monday, September 5th, you can read more about the writers on Morgen Bailey's blog.
Finally, I want to say a little about Striking Angels...get you revved up for its release (which is still several months away, I think). Striking Angels continues a story very important to me. In fact without it, I wouldn't be here at all. The writers will be dropping teasers throughout the upcoming months, so watch for them here, on Facebook, and on Twitter.
In March of 1921, just after the yellow daffodils had finished their happy waves and drooped, papery brown from low-bent stems, my life changed forever. The secret Mama divulged one night, as we walked home from a birth, gave me insight into who I am and what I could never be. It also signalled the end of my carefree youth.
It was not easy for me to tell the story of that night and the events that followed, but the writers encouraged me, told me it was essential that the reader understand that part of the story before they could read about our other adventures. And so I told it.
I wanted to tell other stories first, -- like stories of the adventures Hanover and I had when we were young. But those stories will come later because we really didn't know why our lives could not be ended by mundane accidents. We didn't understand and didn't care that we did not have the same limitations of time and space as the other children. We certainly didn't know about "passage" and so the writers thought it would be best to skip ahead and tell the story of my passage to who I would become.
They have finished writing. The artist has finished the last drawing. I have read the story, cried my eyes out, and approved. So now the countdown begins. Soon, very soon, you will live my life.
Blown away. I mean, everyone is saying they expected it, that she was headed that way, that all the drugs and alcohol would do her in. I did not expect it. Like Amy, I've had my drunken escapades. I even sang my own version of Rehab once, but that's a story for a different day. So maybe part of why I'm shocked is that me and Amy are so similar. But there's more to it than that. You see, Amy Winehouse is my muse.
The first time I heard her sing carried me back to a speakeasy in New Orleans. I must have been 21 or 22. Hanover and I were between adventures and we were kicking back, listening to my daddy play. A jazz singer took the stage, not a frail wrath like the girls who usually sang, but a curvaceous black woman. Her voice was throaty and full. I pictured that woman as I listened to Amy sing "Back to Black".
The first time I saw Amy's picture, I said "No way! That tiny young girl cannot have a voice that large." But she did. Her music resonates with my soul. And that's what I will remember about Amy Winehouse -- not the sad way she left this realm too young, but as the largest voice I've heard in recent years. Rest in peace, Amy Winehouse. Or better yet, may your soul sing forever.
Sorry we haven't checked in with all of you lately. Toledo and I have been working closely with the writers to get the next book right. It's been an emotional time for both of us -- and I don't like emotional times.
The Reunion is a coming of age story of sorts. It's a story of firsts and lasts. In it, Toledo and I both lose something, but we gain something too.
When can you read it? Very soon. The writers wrapped it up last night and sent it to the beta reviewers. But while you're waiting, if you haven't read the earlier books, now's your chance to read them cheap (or even free). But you'll have to do it soon...the Smashwords Winter/Summer sale only goes through July. Here's a link to From the Gator's Mouth. It's free and I'm partial to it. It is the story of my birth, after all. http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/17401?ref=rachellereese
