Interview and Giveaway: Elizabeth Chadwick

Please join me in welcoming Elizabeth Chadwick to Debbie's Book Bag today. Elizabeth is joining us to talk about her latest release, To Defy a King. Giveaway details at the end of the post!

DEB: Elizabeth, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
ELIZABETH: I live in the UK. I was born in the north of England in a county called Lancashire and in a town called Bury (more or less pronounced Berry) near the city of Manchester. My grandparents worked in the industrial cotton mills and my father was a textile chemist. (making fabric dyes). I lived in Scotland as a child and then moved to Nottingham where I live now. I had always told myself stories but only began writing them down when I was 15. I wrote my first full historical novel then, and decided that it was what I wanted to do for a living. It took me another 17 years to get my dream job, but with perseverance I got there! My first novel, The Wild Hunt, won an award for romantic fiction that was presented to me at Whitehall by Prince Charles. You can’t get a much better start to a career than that! It’s still in print now and doing very well.

DEB: Tell us a little about your latest book, To Defy a King?
ELIZABETH: It’s set in the 13th century and is about Mahelt, the daughter of a great magnate who has an arranged marriage when she is 14. The match is partly to try and keep her safe from the persecutions of the king, and partly sound family business. Love doesn’t come into it at that stage, but as time goes on, Mahelt comes to adore her husband Hugh. However, King John casts a long shadow over their lives and Mahelt finds herself in very conflicting and difficult circumstances. It’s got a bit of everything. Romance, adventure, politics at the sharp end, and what I hope is sound history. Earlier this month it won the UK’s Romantic Novelists Association 2011 prize for Historical Fiction.

DEB: What was your inspiration for these books? Have you always been interested in historical fiction?
ELIZABETH: I became interested in historical fiction as a written genre in my teens. Roberta Gellis was one of my first favorite authors. Before that I had loved historical films and TV programs and I had been interested in factual history in general. My inspiration for the current set of novels about the Marshal family, came from the life of the great William Marshal himself. You can’t research the 12th century and not come across him. He rose from obscurity to become the regent of England, along the way, saving the life of Eleanor of Aquitaine and unhorsing Richard the Lionheart. To Defy A King is the story of William’s eldest daughter and her marriage to Hugh Bigod, an earl’s son with connections via his half-brother to King John. It’s set at the time that the barons were trying to rein in the King with a list of demands that became the Magna Carta. I wanted to explore the road that led to Magna Carta through the eyes of some of the people involved, and I also wanted to investigate what it was like for a young woman to have an arranged marriage in the medieval period.

DEB: What type of research did you do for your book?
ELIZABETH: A great deal of research goes into the novels. I use primary source documents from the time, I use academic secondary sources and I read widely not just about the politics, but about the culture. The food, the clothes, the attitudes of the time. An author shouldn’t just get the physical details right when writing historical fiction, they need to look at mindset too so that the characters are not just modern people in fancy dress. I visit the places my characters would have known and I walk in their footsteps. I also re-enact with living history society Regia Anglorum – www.regia.org as I feel this helps with my understanding of what life was like in the Middle Ages. I know how to spin and weave (not well, but I can do it!), and cook using cauldrons and cooking pots. I have tried on the armour, and walked up and down castle stairs in a long dress and medieval shoes. It helps tremendously in understanding what life felt like back then. I use the psychic to research as well, but as part of several ongoing strands. Readers wanting to know more can look up the details on my website here. http://www.elizabethchadwick.com/akashic.html

DEB: What is your normal writing day like? Do you have things that have to be in place to write comfortably?
ELIZABETH: My work room is a converted small bedroom with space for two desks, and some bookshelves. I write sitting next to a window with a view of fields in the distance. Generally I sit down to write by about 9.30 in the morning. I check e-mails and Twitter for anything important that needs answering, and then I begin writing. I don’t write in long spells, but in shorter bursts interspersed with internet work. Most days I will write around 1500 words though all told. I take time out in the day to go to the gym, do shopping, routine chores and once a week I see a close friend, but then I will work at night, sometimes into the small hours of the morning. I guess I am like the hub of a wheel with various spokes going out, of which the writing is just one spoke, but it all gets done in the day to make the wheel turn.

DEB: What was it like when you got the word that your first novel would be published?
ELIZABETH: I was very pleased, but in a quiet manner. I knew that this was what I was born to do (I can remember telling myself involved stories from being 3 years old) I just had to convince the publishing world that this was the case! I had finally got there and now I could settle down and do my proper job instead of working in shops to earn a wage. I guess I felt an enormous sense of relief – and satisfaction.

DEB: Do have any advice for new writers?
ELIZABETH: Write something every day. Set yourself a goal that is easily achievable and stick to it. The operative word is ‘easily.’ So you’ll accomplish a set number of words every day and feel good that you’ve succeeded, and you may well go on to write well above that bottom line limit. Also, listen to your own voice. Don’t get too hung up on the ‘rules’. As in the Pirates of the Caribbean, they are ‘more like guidelines really.’

DEB: When you’re not writing, what kinds of books do you like to read? Do you have a favorite author?
ELIZABETH: I read all genres. The key to my reading is widespread variety. So I might read a modern, gritty police thriller by Peter James, then follow it up with a warm-hearted saga by Fannie Flagg, and then perhaps a rich historical by Sharon Penman, followed by a cookery book by Nigella Lawson, and then back to a thriller. I love the works of Terry Pratchett. He writes fantasy novels that are in fact very pointed commentary on our society. I am particularly fond of his novel Witches Abroad.

DEB: What are you working on right now?
ELIZABETH: I have just finished a novel about the Empress Matilda and her stepmother Adeliza of Louvain, which explores the emotional lives of these women between 1125 and 1148. My next project is still under wraps, but I hope to announce it officially very soon. I am very excited about it.

DEB: Tell us one thing that people may not know about you?
ELIZABETH:I have a genuine carved Tudor oak chair in my spare room that has been handed down through generations of my family.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Sourcebooks has graciously offered two copies of To Defy a King for giveaway. These books will be sent out directly from the publisher. Just follow a few simple rules:

~ You must be a Google Friend Connect follower to participate.
~ US and Canadian addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST April 8th.

1.) Please leave a comment on this post in appreciation for the author.
2.) Please fill out this very simple FORM.

Review: Abigail

Abigail (Stevenson Family Saga - Book 4) by Malcolm Macdonald

Publication Date: March 2011
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Genre: historical Fiction
Pages: Paperback, 432pp
ISBN-13: 9781402236112
ISBN: 1402236115

(Received for review from Sourcebooks)

Purchase: Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound

Malcolm Macdonald on the WEB: Website

Synopsis (Book Blurb):

THE BELOVED AND FINAL NOVEL IN THE CLASSIC STEVENSON FAMILY SAGA FROM EPIC MASTER MALCOLM MACDONALD

Daughter of the wealthy and storied Stevenson family, Abigail Stevenson should have been a creature of unawakened innocence. But one fateful day she tricks her maid, Annie, into telling her the facts of life, and soon comes to realize that the same shocking secret can be a glorious and life-enhancing mystery. Thus begins her path of passion and indomitable ambition that will lead her from England to the great capitals of Europe, from the passions of man and woman to those of intellectual, artist, and creator.

A beloved novel by a beloved author, Abigail is a gripping and passionate tale of one woman's struggles to break free of the bonds of her heritage and chart her own path of ambition in the Victorian world.

Thoughts:

The final novel in the Stevenson family saga, brings readers the story of Abigail, a young woman who defied the conventions of her time. Master storyteller, Malcolm Macdonald, writer of over thirty books gives the reader excellent research and a riveting plot line to draw them into Abigail's life. Originally published in 1979, Abigail is being re-issued to a new generation of historical fiction readers. Readers will find Abigail's character refreshing and full of spontaneity.

Abigail Stevenson isn't your typical woman of the day. She has always been a bit of a pill for the Stevenson family, though she has mellowed a bit with age. One day Abigail convinces her maid, Annie to give her details on the facts of life. This sets Abigail off on a quest to learn more. She has a voracious appetite for learning about all things, including sex, money and the arts. Abigail's journey to become the woman she wants to be, takes her around the world and puts her in the path of many different walks of life. As she chooses her own path as writer, Abigail faces the scorn of society and her own family, all in the name of progress.

Malcolm Macdonald has been held in high esteem as an historical fiction writer for many years. His books have given readers memorable characters, brought to life through his remarkable research and excellent character development. Abigail is no exception to the rule. The Fourth book in Macdonald's highly acclaimed, Stevenson Family Saga, continues the story of a family poised for greatness. We have seen Abigail from her birth up until her womanhood in the series and now she is in the forefront of the final book.

Abigail has always been what the Stevenson family considered a "ticking time bomb", from her erratic behavior to her very strong political opinions. She has changed little in this book, though she is perhaps a little less likely to throw a tantrum and more focused on her goal in life: being the woman she wants to be regardless of what society believes appropriate. Abigail is a great character, full of spunk and passion. She doesn't do anything half way. It's all or nothing and when she decides to find about the facts of life, as usual she gets her way. I think Macdonald does an excellent job of showing Abigail as a woman who set herself against what was considered normal behavior for a woman during the time. He gives her a very strong personality and the tools she needs to be successful in her quest.

I liked the fact that Malcolm Macdonald chose to make the last book in the series one that kind of tied up loose ends in the family. Completing stories that have been going on throughout the series while still giving the reader an engrossing plot with latest of the Stevenson's to venture out into the world. The Stevenson's have been a really interesting to read about, though in some cases it seems a little hard to believe that every single member of the family was destined for greatness. I think Macdonald showed a lot of versatility with this series. His characters were not all perfect, even if they were extremely privileged. They all seemed to have flaws and faults that made them seem easier to identify with.

I recommend this one to readers of historical fiction and especially to those who are Malcolm Macdonald fans. It is a rather lengthy book, but there are few dull moments in Abigail's story as she tackles everything from the Women's Rights Movement to the streets of Rome. I think readers will find her enchanting, but with a few rough edges. Macdonald's research and ability to write according to the conventions of the time period is excellent. It's a book that readers will find hard to put down.

Abigail is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!





Malcolm Macdonald is the author of 30 novels, including the bestselling Stevenson family saga, Rose of Nancemellin, and Hell Hath No Fury. He was born in England in 1932, and currently lives in Ireland.

Review: Wither

Wither (Chemical Garden Trilogy - Book 1) by Lauren DeStefano

Publication Date: March 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Genre: Dystopian YA
Pages: Hardcover, 358pp
ISBN-13: 9781442409057
ISBN: 1442409053

(Received for review from Simon & Schuster)

Purchase: Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound

Lauren DeStefano on the WEB: Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter

Excerpt from Wither

Book Trailer:

Synopsis (Book Blurb):

IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE, BECAUSE OF GENETIC ENGINEERING, EVERY HUMAN IS A TICKING TIME BOMB...

Males only live to age twenty-five and females only live to age twenty. To keep the population from dying out, girls are kidnapped and sold into polygamous marriages.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine is taken, she enters a world of wealth and privilege that both entices and terrifies her. She has everything she ever wanted - except freedom. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is becoming dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to escape. BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.

Thoughts:

Dystopian books are all the rage right now in YA literature, from The Hunger Games to Delirium and now Wither. Wither is the debut novel from author Lauren DeStefano, who sets the YA world on it's ear with this complex and engaging plot. What will our world be like in the distant future? DeStefano gives readers a plausible, if brutal idea of what could happen if genetic engineering gets out of hand. This is a book that will make readers think, make them feel uncomfortable and perhaps change their perceptions of what it means to be human.

Rhine Ellery lives in a world that is a far cry from the one we know. Men only live to age 25 and women to age 20. When life is just supposed to be beginning, for them it ends. Because of a genetic engineering mistake a virus has decimated the population and every person is basically a ticking time bomb, waiting to go off. Many of the elders in the population are dying off and their children are already gone. In order to keep them from dying out entirely young girls are kidnapped and sold in polygamous marriages with wealthy and influential men. When Rhine is kidnapped at age 16 she enters a world she can hardly believe exists. With two other sister wives, Rhine is given to man named Linden, whose father is desperate to find a cure before it's too late for his son. Will Rhine be able to find her twin brother and escape? Is there really anything to escape to?

Author Lauren DeStefano proves once again that readers are interested in what is becoming of our world. In her Dystopian YA debut, Wither it's obvious that she has given a lot of time to researching the possibilities. Her world building skills are very well defined for a debut writer and I thought she did an excellent job of describing the conditions Rhine was living in before and after she was sold into polygamy. The opening paragraphs of the book are both harrowing and intense, giving the reader a view of a very desperate world, that has basically brought about it's own destruction. Though Rhine's world is an alternate reality from our own, it easy to see the parallels between the two if scientists are allowed to go unchecked and have free reign. It is interesting and scary!

The characters in Wither are well developed and three dimensional. I got the impression that there was a little good in everyone and a little bad, which is most usually the truth. Perfect characters are just that characters, they aren't people that the reader can identify with or become involved in. DeStefano's characters however, have depth and personality. They have their own agendas, their own shortcomings and their own ideas about what it takes to survive.

Rhine is determined to have her freedom and I really liked that about her. She is taken from a place of suffering and thrown into a world where she has everything she ever dreamed, but she isn't free. She had guts and courage, yet there were still moments when she found herself wondering why she wanted to escape, what was out there that she wanted to be a part of? I sympathized with her feelings. I got the impression that at times she was very conflicted. Linden is a polygamist, a man who is having sex with the thirteen year old girl and yet he is simple and uncomplicated and loving to Rhine. Though Linden's character turned my stomach at times, I could see why Rhine couldn't help but have some kind of feelings for him.

Cecily on the other hand is a character that really bothered me. She made me uneasy from the beginning. She is a thirteen-year-old girl forced to marry a man twice her age and she is almost happy about it. It made me cringe when she talked about reading books to show her how to bring Linden greater pleasure. She was just a baby. Though there are no real sex scenes in the book, it is alluded to often from the dialogue of the sister wives. But, I will say that if a book or a character in general can make a reader feel that kind of emotion, it is well written and a great accomplishment for the author. Books are supposed to make you feel something and this one certainly does.

I also had a bit of trouble with the way the author chose to portray polygamy. It is not something I believe in, or that I would consider appropriate in most cases. However, I do believe that people have a right to their own religious beliefs and practices, if they do not harm others. That is the key statement. What I think I took offense to a little bit was the fact that the author made is seem like all people who practice this lifestyle are the dregs of society, the worst possible kind of people. They are people who would hurt children and do unspeakable things. I realize this is a book and this is an alternative view of how things could be, but it still got under my skin a little bit and I'm a baptist... LOL!

Being the first book in a trilogy. The ending was satisfying but still left a lot of questions, setting up for the next book in the series. Wither has a good pace and can be finished quickly. Especially if the reader really gets into the story and sits up all night unable to put it down to the end!

I realize there is a lot of buzz about this novel and there are a lot of people who love it. I recommend this one to readers who love dystopian novels. It's a great example of the genre and I think there will be many readers out there that will find it very interesting. There were many things I liked about it and some that were a bit of a stretch for me. This is a book that will make the reader a little bothered, but that's a good thing in this instance I think. This one wasn't my cup of tea by a long shot, but it was still extremely well written. I loved the characters even though the situations they found themselves in were very unexpected. I would offer a bit of caution with this one, it will definitely make you feel something, just maybe not what you think.

Wither is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag based on the exceptional writing. It may not have been my cup of tea but that doesn't mean it won't be yours!





Lauren DeStefano earned her BA in English with a Concentration in Creative Writing from Albertus Magnus College in Connecticut in 2007. Wither is her first novel.

Review: Love Amid the Ashes

Love Amid the Ashes by Mesu Andrews

Publication Date: March 2011
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group/Revell Books
Genre: Christian Fiction/Biblical Fiction
Pages: Paperback, 411pp
ISBN-13: 9780800734077
ISBN: 0800734076

(Received for review from Revell Books)

Purchase: Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Christianbook.com, IndieBound

Mesu Andrews on the WEB: Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter

Excerpt from Love Amid the Ashes

Book Trailer:

Synopsis (Book Blurb):

AN EPIC STORY OF LOVE AND FORGIVENESS, SUFFERING AND RESTORATION

When her beloved grandfather Isaac dies, Dinah must foll his final command: travel to Job's household to marry his son. After Job's world comes crashing down, Dinah finds herself drawn to this great man brought law. What will she risk to fight for his survival?

Mesu Andrews weaves an emotional and stirring account of Job and Dinah. Love Amid the Ashes breathes life, romance, and passion into the classic biblical story of suffering and steadfast faith.

Thoughts:

Mesu Andrews' debut novel, Love Amid the Ashes is a stirring retelling of the Biblical account of Job, one of the oldest and well remembered stories in the Bible. Andrews' ability to breathe life into her characters and vitality into an age old story makes this a must read for any Christian Fiction reader. This emotionally charged story will stay with readers long after the last page is turned.

Dinah lives a solitary life as the nursemaid for her grand-father Isaac. She knows that due to the horrible circumstances of her past she will probably never marry. But when Isaac dies, his last wish is that Dinah travel to the household of a kinsmen, Job and marry his son. With a brighter future ahead, Dinah travels to meet her new husband. Tragedy strikes, as Dinah's future husband dies and his father Job, looses everything he has ever dreamed of, His family, his wealth, even his own health. Once again Dinah becomes a nursemaid only this time to Job. As she watches his suffering she begins to realize how much faith Job has in God and that he is willing to give up everything for it. Could she have such a faith as this? How would it change her life?

Mesu Andrews brings Christian Fiction readers a remarkable retelling of the story of Job. Job was said to be a man after God's own heart. He thought so much of him that he bragged about how good and faithful he was to the devil. It reminds me somewhat of a grandparent showing off pictures of their grandchildren in a way. "Have you seen my grandson, Timmy? He is the smartest and most handsome boy you'll ever meet."

God was obviously really proud of Job and knew that he would be able to stand up to anything the devil threw at him. Andrews' book goes into detail about Job's suffering and how he coped with everything that happened to him, but I thought one of the most interesting parts of the book, was the backstory. How Job lived before all the calamities struck him, what his life was like, how drastically it changed. I really enjoyed finding out what Job might have been like as a man.

I find myself really enjoying Biblical fiction. These are the stories I grew up with and know by heart, yet I don't think I had as much appreciation for them as I do after reading books like Love Amid the Ashes. I think the author did such a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life and making them seem real. I often feel like the Biblical accounts are more like historical texts, where you don't get the essence of who the people were and what they really went through. Not that makes them any less important, just less entertaining. Mesu Andrews' however, gives these characters life. She lets us know what they may have been feeling. Can you imagine how Dinah must have felt, she has a new chance at love and family and it's taken from her in a split second. Or what must have been going through Job's mind as he tried to figure out what in the world he had done?

Dinah's character is very compelling. The reasons Dinah was made a nursemaid to Isaac are enough to make anyone sympathetic to her plight. She was raped and used by a man who said he loved her, yet he forced himself upon her. In retaliation her brothers lied to the man and his father when he came to claim her for his wife and then they murdered all the men in the village out of vengeance for what happened to their sister. Not only was she abused, she had to face the fact that no one would want her now and she would probably lead a life of seclusion and never have a family of her own. Yet her faith was strong and she was able to understand that God had something else in mind for her. I loved her faith and her strength and I thought her character really stood out in this book. The book may have been about Job, but readers will find themselves drawn to Dinah and her story.

Available March 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!





Mesu Andrews is a speaker who has devoted herself to passionate and intense study of Scripture. Harnessing her deep understanding and love for God's Word. Andrews brings the biblical world alive for her readers in this debut novel. She lives in Washington.

Review: A Touch of Gold

A Touch of Gold (Missing Pieces Mystery - Book 2) by Joyce and Jim Lavene

Publication Date: March 2011
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: Paperback, 304pp
ISBN-13: 9780425240243
ISBN: 042524024X

(Received for review from Berkley/Obsidian)

Purchase: Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound

Joyce and Jim Lavene on the WEB: Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter

Book Trailer:

Synopsis (Book Blurb):

The mayor of Duck, North Carolina, Dae O'Donell is a woman with a gift for finding lost things. Sometimes it leads her to lost keys or earrings - and sometimes it leads her to murder...

COIN COLLECTOR

Long before he became curator of the Duck Historical Museum, Max Caudle contributed its greatest treasure - a wooden chest full of gold he discovered washed up on shore. Tales of pirates and their booty have long been part of local folklore, but history is really made when someone fires a cannonball into the museum, destroying the building and killing Max, before looting the gold.

Injured in the explosion, Dae finds her abilities have been amplified, overwhelming her with intense visions every time she touches an object. Now, if ex-FBI agent - and burgeoning beau - Kevin Brickman can help Dae decipher her visions, she just might be able to stop the modern-day buccaneer from killing again...

Thoughts:

The cozy mystery writing team of Joyce and Jim Lavene, give readers a second look at Duck, North Carolina. In A Touch of Gold, the second book in the Missing Pieces mystery series, readers will once again find mayor, Dae O'Donnell on the case. The authors' vivid descriptions and engaging characters will have cozy mystery readers' heads filled with visions of pirate gold, hidden treasure and murder. A great second offering from a gifted writing team!

Max Caudle gave the Duck Historical Museum it's most famous piece, a treasure chest which he believes can be traced to Theo Burr the daughter of Aaron Burr whose ship supposedly sank off the coast of North Carolina. Now, the curator of the museum, Max is able to dig deeper into the history of the chest. When a cannonball destroys the museum, killing Max, it's up to mayor Dae O'Donnell to figure out what really happened and why someone would want Max dead. The missing loot from the museum could be the key. Dae, who was injured in the museum blast has a unique psychic ability that allows her find lost items, but now that heightened ability threatens to overwhelm her before she can sort through her visions to find the killer.

Once again the writing team of Joyce and Jim Lavene seem to know just what cozy mystery readers are looking for. In A Touch of Gold, the authors' explore the folklore and legends of North Carolina during the age of pirates and buccaneers. Readers who love a good treasure hunt will enjoy the pirate theme and find themselves digging up clues. I thought the writer's did an excellent job of taking stories and legends and bringing them to life for the reader. It enhanced the plot line and gave an adventurous feel to the book.

I think this series will appeal to many different kinds of readers, from the cozy mystery reader, to the paranormal reader and to those love a good adventure tale. The characters are full of life and seem to jump off the pages. Duck is s place that people will become interested in reading more about. Readers will find it idyllic and full of personality. It's the kind of coastal town that people might want to live in. The characters become like people they know and the overall feel of the book becomes more than just a mystery. The descriptions of the town, it's people and the legends of the area are what really sets this book apart in the cozy genre. These characters seem like real people. The psychic element of the story only adds to the mystique and makes Duck seem even more inviting.

Main character Dae O'Donnell is full of spirit and fun to read about. She uses her latent ability to find things to help the community of Duck in many ways from finding a stray set of keys to perhaps finding a killer. I was curious to see if Dae's abilities had changed any from the first book in the series and was pleasantly surprised that the authors chose to "enhance" her visions in this book. Dae comes across as a genuinely believable character. Even though she has this quirky ability to find things, she still doesn't come across as remote or set apart from the community. I liked how the author's made her seem very accessible and how the community responded to her abilities. The paranormal aspect gives an edge to this book and the series and opens it up a new audience of mystery readers.

I love the fact that Joyce and Jim are a married couple who have chosen to write together. I think having both a female and a male perspective is what makes them so successful. With several cozy mystery series' under their belt, readers will feel comfortable with them and look forward to anything they put out. I believe this is a great series to introduce readers to the cozy sub-genre and it will give tried and true cozy readers a twist they may not be expecting.

This is a fast paced book and can be read in sitting or two. If you are a fan of the amateur sleuth and love pirates, this one is right up your alley. I recommend it to new and old cozy fans and I think readers will really enjoy learning more about Duck and mayor Dae O'Donnell.

A Touch of Gold is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag.





Joyce and Jim Lavene are a married writing couple who live in North Carolina with their family. They get help from their cat, Quincy, and their big puppy, Rudi, who they rescued in 2010. They have been writing together since 1994 and published since 1999. Last year marked their 52nd book in print. They enjoy writing mysteries but are at home with fantasy, romance, and non-fiction. The couple both work for their small, hometown newspaper, The Weekly Post. They are active in Sister-in-Crime and Mystery Writers of America.

Review and Giveaway: The Bird House

The Bird House by Kelly Simmons

Publication Date: February 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Adult
Genre: Women's Fiction
Pages: Paperback, 272pp
ISBN-13: 9781439160930
ISBN: 1439160937

(Received for review from TLC Tours)

Please see the giveaway details at the end of the post!

Purchase: Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound

Kelly Simmons on the WEB: Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter

Excerpt from The Bird House

Synopsis (Publishers Weekly):

Simmons (Standing Still) smoothly shifts between past and present in her complex, and poignant second novel, told from the point of view of a courageous woman suffering from dementia. Ann Biddle, a venerable Main Line lady, may have trouble remembering current dates and times, but she clearly remembers the details of her daughter's death, her troubled marriage, and the man who has always truly loved her. When a school project gives Ann the opportunity to spend time with her eight-year-old granddaughter, Ellie, Ann is determined not to allow Tinsley, her controlling daughter-in-law, to sabotage their burgeoning relationship, even if it means a little extortion. By the end, Ann can declare: "We had our own constitution now, our little family, built on a solid foundation of lies, secrets, regrets, and debts. But even dark underpinnings can support something solid and light, can they not?" Enthralled readers will agree. (FEB)

Thoughts:

Author Kelly Simmons has crafted a novel that will speak to the hearts of women in every walk of life. Essentially a story about family secrets and the bonds that hold families together, The Bird House is a heart-wrenching novel that will have readers staying up all night to finish. With engaging characters, lies, secrets and healthy dose of regret, this a book you won't want to miss!

Ann Biddle has become an old woman. As she tries to cope with her growing dementia, she is filled with regrets from the past. She can't remember what day it is and her short term memory is failing, but the details of her daughter's death are as clear as a bell. With the help of her grand-daughters heritage project and her journal from forty years ago, Ann begins a journey to reacquaint herself with the past. Struggling against the will of her daughter-in-law, Ann fosters a relationship with her grand-daughter Ellie, that transcends time. As the two begin to look through old letters and boxes from long ago, Ann starts to remember things she has long buried in her memory, that could change their family forever...

Kelly Simmons gives readers a novel filled with family drama and dynamics. Readers will find themselves comparing their own deep rooted family secrets with those of Ann's family as they read through this compelling book. This is the story that is easy to relate to. How many families don't have some kind of skeleton in the closet? Not many!

The author does a remarkable job of using Ellie's 'heritage project' to bring Ann together with her grand-daughter, essentially setting in motion the entire plot. Told from the point of view of seventy-year-old Ann, readers will enjoy trying to figure out whether what they are reading is really happening or a part of Ann's dementia. The major theme in this book is family secrets and how they define a family. Can a family be built on a foundation of lies and still stand strong? I thought Simmons did a wonderful job of giving readers a glimpse into the heart of woman with a tortured past, who is trying to come to terms with her regrets.

The characters in this book are so well developed that readers will almost feel a kinship with this family. They will become invested in them and what happens to them. Kelly Simmons gives readers a very refreshing set of characters that are engaging and full of personality. Ann is sharp tongued and very witty. She reminded me of my own grand-mother. Because she realizes that her dementia is getting worse, she lives more and more in the past, going over her faults and failings as a mother, a wife and a lover. I think readers will really enjoy Ann's voice and how she looks at the world. But more importantly I think they will find her a very three dimensional character that they can relate to and identify with, let's face it we all have regrets.

Ellie is sort of the crux that holds the family together. Her character is really fun to read about. She's a little girl that is full of spunk and curiosity. Her heritage project leads to a struggle between her grandmother and her mom, which might a little hard on a young child, but Ellie takes it all in stride. She asks some really tough questions in the book and gets Ann to start to come to terms with some things that happened a long, long time ago. I thought the author did an excellent job with Ellie's character. I can imagine that it was difficult to write the voice of a seventy-year old woman, and an eight-year-old girl at the same time.

The books reads quickly and has a very strong pace. It can probably be read in a sitting or two and would be great for a rainy weekend or sitting on the beach. I think the story line lends itself to being good for book club discussions and individual contemplation. It's a book that is ideal for many different kinds of women and I think it will appeal to them on an emotional level. I recommend it readers who enjoy books about family bonds and dynamics as well as those readers who want to read something that will touch them and perhaps change their perspective in some way.

The Bird House is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!





Kelly Simmons is a former journalist and advertising creative director specializing in marketing to women. She lives with her family outside Philadelphia.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Kelly is graciously offering an autographed copy of her book, The Birdhouse, to a winner here at Debbie's Book Bag! Just follow these simple rules:

~ You must be a Google Friend Connect follower to participate in this giveaway.
~ US and Canadian Addresses only please!
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight, EST, April 4th.

1. Please leave a comment on this post in appreciation to the author.
2. Please fill out this very simple FORM.

Simply Marvelous Monday

Shelia at, Book Journey, gets all the credit for this one...

On Simply Marvelous Monday's here at, Debbie's Book Bag, we want to know... What are you reading?

READ AND REVIEWED LAST WEEK:

India Black (Madame of Espionage - Book 1) by Carol K. Carr (My Review)

The Other Life by Ellen Meister (My Review)

A Crafty Killing (Victoria Square - Book 1) Lorraine Bartlett (My Review)

Legacy by Jeanette Baker (My Review)

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake (My Review)

One Bird's Choice by Iain Reid (My Review)

How to Knit a Heart Back Home (Cypress Hollow Yarn - Book 2) by Rachel Herron (My Review)

Taste Me (Underbelly Chronicles - Book 1) by Tamara Hogan (My Review)

Bathsheba (Wives of King David - Book 3) by Jill Eileen Smith (My Review)

READING OR REVIEWING THIS WEEK:

The Birdhouse by Kelly Simmons (For review from TLC Tours)

A Touch of Gold (Missing Pieces Mystery - Book 1) by Joyce & Jim Lavene (For review from Berkley/Obsidian)

Wither (Chemical Garden Trilogy - Book 1) by Lauren DeStefano (For review from Simon & Schuster)

Abagail by Malcolm MacDonald (For review from Sourcebooks)

To Defy a King by Elizabeth Chadwick (For review from Sourcebooks)

Fruit of All Evil (Farmer's Market Mystery - Book 2) by Paige Shelton (For review from Berkley/Obsidian)

A Deadly Cliche (Books by the Bay - Book 2) by Ellery Adams (For review from Berkley/Obsidan)

Love Amid the Ashes by Mesu Andrews (For review from Revell)

Check out the tons of great giveaways on my sidebar!