Wednesday Spotlight | INK by Glenn Benest and Dale Pitman

Publisher:  Larry Czerwonka Company

Publication:   July 27, 2015

Genre:  Fiction / Horror

ISBN-10: 0692336184

ISBN-13: 978-0692336182

About the Book: 

His studio has become his refuge and his prison - a place of boundless imagination and lonely isolation. Brian Archer, creator of a series of successful graphic novels about a vengeful supernatural being called “The Highwayman,” has become a recluse after the adoration of a female fan turned to rage and violence.

But all that changes when he meets a renowned and beautiful illustrator, A.J. Hart, who carries emotional scars of her own. Their work together is fueled by the unrequited passion they share and a mysterious bottle of black ink that arrives one day at Brian’s doorstep.

The impossibly dark liquid has mystical properties, making their characters appear so real they eventually come to life, reigning terror on those who mean them harm and if not stopped—threatens to unleash an apocalypse on all mankind. Brian must break free of his self-imposed exile and solve the mystery that allowed these terrible creatures into the world.

About the Authors: 

Glenn Benest

Glenn is an award-winning writer/producer with seven produced film credits, including two high profile films by acclaimed filmmaker Wes Craven: “Deadly Blessing” and “A Stranger In Our House.”

His independent film, “Hungry Hearts,” was picked up by Shoreline Entertainment and won numerous awards at film festivals in the U.S. and abroad, including the Special Jury Prize at the Houston International Film Festival (Worldfest) for best low budget feature.

In addition to novel writing and screenwriting, Glenn hosts popular writing workshops, webinars and does private consultations with writers locally and all over the world. Six films have been launched from these groups, including “Scream” and “Event Horizon.”

INK is his first novel.

Dale Pitman

Dale was born in the shadows of the Burbank studios, which is where his love of movies began. As a kid, Dale got to play hooky and sit in with his father, renowned “Wrecking Crew” guitarist, Bill Pitman, on studio sessions for record, T.V. and most memorably movie calls, like the James Bond flick, “Dr. No,” where Dale fell in love for the art of cinema (and Ursula Andrews, though not necessarily in that order).

Dale immersed himself in studying the craft of writing with teachers David Freeman, the late Blake Snyder and most notably his mentor and writing partner, award-winning screenwriter Glenn Benest, where they both discovered their mutual affinity for the works of Poe and Lovecraft.

Dale lives in Newport Beach, CA, with the lovely Kelly O’Reilly and their feline accomplice, Casey, and will continue writing, most likely, until someone pries the keyboard away from his cold, dead fingers . . . And beyond! 

INK is his first novel.

Order your copies of INK directly from the publisher or Amazon.

*Content sent by the author for this blog's publication. This is a free ad.

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Book Review | SLADE HOUSE by David Mitchell

     

October 27, 2015;
Random House

From “one of the most electric writers alive” (The Boston Globe) comes a taut, intricately woven, spine-chilling, reality-warping short novel.

Set across five decades, beginning in 1979 and coming to its electrifying conclusion on October 31, 2015.

Slade House is the perfect book to curl up with on a dark and stormy night. ~Goodreads

If you are David Mitchell’s follower on Twitter, then you have a good inkling of what this book is about. Last year, from July 14-18, DM posted a short story through a series of tweets. A friend actually pointed me towards them, and my initial reaction was that it had a Black Swan Green feel to it, because of the boy character. Then, I thought maybe DM is going to write a short story collection. [I believe] DM likes conquering genres and styles, so, maybe, a collection is likely possible.

As it turned out, I’m not far off. The book is a series of five stories spanning from 1979 to 2015. A small black gate appears every nine years, on Halloween, in Slade Alley; it was peculiarly small that it was so easy to miss. It may take people two sweeps of the alley before they can spot it. The gate, however, opens to a narrow neat garden that leads to the back of an imposing house. Every nine years, guests mysteriously disappear from this house.

Most people think this is an accompaniment for The Bone Clocks because the premise resides in the same world of the atemporal. As far as I can tell, this book can hold itself together without reference to its predecessor. Hence, it can be read independently. The stories were told almost playfully with much thrill and excitement, which was (for me) too different from the dense and tight narrative of The Bone Clocks.

The characters are "oh wow". We know DM's talent in picking characters, giving them traits that linger with the readers, hence, making us invest in them wholeheartedly. Similarly, the characters here were chosen significantly fitted for these stories. It’s not only their purposes that are intriguing but their entire nature, which was succinctly fleshed out. In a way, this is a character-driven plot; which means, if the plot tires you, the characters will surely not. In fact, I cannot help asking “who's next” at the end of each story.

What do you do when you're visiting someone's house and their garden starts vanishing?

SLADE HOUSE is a short read but brilliantly plotted. DM’s talent for playing with different timelines is evident here, albeit in a stricter linear pattern. The stories revolved around (only) one location, but uses a succession of lifetimes, the next being more curious than the one before it. As much as I don’t want the stories to end, I want to know how the mystery will be solved after 36 years. And I am not disappointed. It saddens me, though, knowing that David Mitchell doesn’t write sequels.

I highly recommend this. You’ll love the thrill!


Book details:
Title: Slade House
Author: David Mitchell
Publication: October 27, 2015; Random House
Genre: Mystery, Fiction
Rating: ★★★★★


*Thank you, Random House, for the copy in exchange for this unbiased review.

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Book Review | NIRVANA by J.R. Stewart

When the real world is emptied of all that you love, 
how can you keep yourself from dependence on the virtual?

This is a Science Fiction set in a distant future. The Earth as we know it no longer exists due to the extinction of bees and the cessation of pollination. The lands are barren, and artificial farms are too few. Needless to say that these farms are monopolized, and so is the water supply. Only the rich are able to luxuriously dwell in the domed-cities, called Bubbles. And the only place people can see the world as it was is through Nirvana, a virtual world people can visit with a steep price and limited time. Both the Bubbles and Nirvana are controlled by Hexagon.

In the midst of this new world is Larissa, a grieving wife who cannot come to terms with the loss of her husband Andrew. Deep inside her she knows that she mustn’t give up looking for Andrew, he is alive, and seeing Andrew during her Nirvana visits confirms her conviction. No matter how people convince her otherwise she is not persuaded, even though she knows the danger of crossing hairs with Hexagon.

The premise of this book is very interesting. The complexity and the real “would be” effect of the bees’ extinction is a new dystopian storyline indeed. But it’s a premise that the whole plot limply supported. It was a struggle plowing through the story when nothing much is developing. The sudden change in the timeline within paragraphs and the info dump didn’t help at all. I didn’t like it very much when a whole chapter was solely dedicated to two antagonists having a conversation just so the narration could disclose how these two literally screwed the world. I’m sure there’s a better way to do that, right?

I truly understand Larissa’s plight, I can grieve with her, but I cannot invest in her or on any of the other characters. I cannot invest in the Larissa-Andrew relationship either, because it was not fully developed to start with.

Book details:
Title: Nirvana
Author: J.R. Stewart
Publication: November 10, 2015; Blue Moon Publishers
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating:

*A copy was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for this unbiased review. 
**A revised copy of the book was recently sent to me by the publicist and will publish my update as soon as possible.

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2015 Reading Challenge | October

Aaannnddd we are down to the last quarter! Three more months to go and my reading challenge is down to eleven books. Yes, folks. Eleven more books to conquer my reading challenge for the year. But before I start counting chicks, let me list down what I read last September.

• Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier - 3/5 stars - The premise and prose were undoubtedly good, but for some reason, it can't hold my interest together. It was just probably me, right?
• Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee - 5/5 stars - TFG's book for September, which we discussed with FFP. 
• Family Life by Akhil Sharma - 4/5 stars - A bittersweet story that will stay with me for a while.
• All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven - 5/5 stars - A really sad book with a good, good purpose.
• Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill - 3.5/5 stars - An examination of the life and (mostly) of its attachments, leaping from observation to observation.
• Warren the 13th and The All-Seeing Eye by Tania del Rio - 4/5 stars - A delightful read for all ages. 

And while we're at it, here are the books I chose for the Banned Books Week this year...

• And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson - 5/5 stars 
• Drama by Raina Telgemeier - 4/5 stars 
• It's Perfectly Normal by Robbie H. Harris - 5/5 stars

For October,

• Monstress by Lysley Tenorio -  TFG 's book for the month.
• The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd - A carryover from September, 47% thru the book. 
• Nirvana by JR Stewart - A carryover from September, 57% thru the book.
• The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson - From my 2014 to-read-books.
• The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman - From my  2015 to-read-books.

I hope to cross these off from my lists before the month is out, so keep your fingers and toes crossed for me. Thanks!

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Book Review | Warren the 13th and The All-Seeing Eye by Tania del Rio

     

November 24, 2015
Quirk Books

Warren the 13 is an orphan and the last heir to the Warren Hotel. Unfortunately, his Uncle Rupert and new bride, Aunt Annaconda, are in charge of running the place until Warren reaches eighteen. Due to Uncle Rupert’s incompetence, the Warren Hotel is now but a shadow of its former glory and the staff was gravely reduced to a chef, a librarian, and Warren –hotel’s only bellhop, room servant, handyman, and all-around errand boy. For now, Warren is doing everything he can to keep the place together. 

     

I had the most delightful time reading this. Warren may be the loveliest of kid you'll meet, Also, he is industrious and kind-hearted. I love joining Warren to go through his predicaments, yet still, keep his heart in the right place and remain hopeful at the end of each day. His love for his family and unquenchable desire to make them proud are inspiring to behold.

     So, I have nothing but good things to describe Warren and this book. It’s a story that kids will truly enjoy. It’s got all the fun, craziness, adventure, and mystery they will appreciate. Plus, the illustrations are all wonderful; meticulously done in red, black, and white, it will surely catch the kids’ attention.

WARREN THE 13th  AND THE ALL-SEEING EYE will make a good Christmas gift, put it on your list!

Book details:
Title:  Warren the 13th and The All-Seeing Eye
Author:  Tania del Rio
Illustrator:  Will Staehle
Publication: November 24, 2015; Quirk Books
Genre: Middle-Grade Fiction

Rating: ★★★★

* Thank you Quirk Books and Netgalley for giving me access to a copy
in exchange for this unbiased review.

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Book Review | Two Years, Eight Months, and Twenty-Eight Nights by Salman Rushdie

   

September 8, 2015
Random House

From one of the greatest writers of our time: the most spellbinding, entertaining, wildly imaginative novel of his great career, which blends history and myth with tremendous philosophical depth. A masterful, mesmerizing modern tale about worlds dangerously colliding, the monsters that are unleashed when reason recedes, and a beautiful testament to the power of love and humanity in chaotic times. 

Inspired by 2,000 years of storytelling yet rooted in the concerns of our present moment, this is a spectacular achievement--enchanting, both very funny and terrifying. It is narrated by our descendants 1000 years hence, looking back on "The War of the Worlds" that began with "the time of the strangenesses": a simple gardener begins to levitate; a baby is born with the unnerving ability to detect corruption in people; the ghosts of two long-dead philosophers begin arguing once more; and storms pummel New York so hard that a crack appears in the universe, letting in the destructive djinns of myth (as well as some graphic superheroes). Nothing less than the survival of our world is at stake. Only one, a djinn princess who centuries before had learned to love humankind, resolves to help us: in the face of dynastic intrigue, she raises an army composed of her semi-magical great-great--etc.--grandchildren--a motley crew of endearing characters who come together to save the world in a battle waged for 1,001 nights--or, to be precise, two years, eight months and twenty-eight nights. ~ Goodreads

I told a friend that Rushdie is an acquired taste. Sometimes, acquiring that taste may take time. And yes, the key to reading Rushdie is taking your time. He allows his reader to sit and read all through his meanderings, his plots, and twists. Digestion of his work comes between those moments of impatience and deviations. So when asked if I was a fan, I answered that I can't say I am on the whole, but his satirical sense of humor is something worthy of praise and deep thought.

Salman Rushdie gives us a rundown of the book's content. A thousand years from the future, our narrator relays to the present reader of an event that will turn the whole world into chaos, as the magical world of the jinn leaks into ours through the cracks. And for 1,001 nights our world will host the war between the most powerful of the jinn in history.

Using two philosophical characters, Ibn Rushd and Al-Ghazali, Rushdie employed the core argument that only great fear will shift sinful men towards God.  Through Zamurrud Shah, a powerful jinni, Al-Ghazali was given a chance to prove this point by unleashing terror upon the mortals. The claim and weakness of this argument is the subject that will worm in detail throughout the story.

I recommend Rushdie’s creativity and wit. He is a man of allegory, and obscure ideas are mostly integrated into his stories. Various philosophical and theological disputations are woven through this whimsical story. Playfully, at most, questions of morality, frailty, and integrity are addressed and given a substantial amount to ponder. The use of distinct characters is very clever, their personality, point of view, and development gives great insight into human understanding.

What’s curious about this story is that the reader could only appreciate the philosophical and theological arguments if he absorbs the absurdity of the fantastical/whimsical side of the story.  Argue that point with me. Go, get a copy today!

Book details:

Title:   Two years, Eight Months, and Twenty-eight Nights

Author:  Salman Rushdie

Publication:  September 8, 2015; Random House

Genre: Fantasy, Magical Realism

Rating: ★★★★

*Thank you Random House for lending me a copy in exchange for this unbiased review.

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THE GOOD GIRL by Mary Kubica

This novel wowed me. And I don’t believe that just because it was a debut novel it shouldn’t be praised for its merits. Mary Kubica did a great job with this book, and I believe that a lesser hand wouldn’t be able to accomplish what she did here.

     THE GOOD GIRL is alternately narrated by the characters, in a non-constricted timeline, and in spite of that, the book maintained its fast-paced thrill. It was never confusing, nor difficult. In fact, I believe it’s this style that kept me at the edge of my seat all the time. I was pretty hooked from the beginning.

I liked all the characters; they are developed according to their purpose for the story. Sure, there is a weak link, but every story has one, and for me, it did not deter this story in the least. Colin was the most developed character in the story, which was pretty interesting since he is the appointed antagonist. Having said that, Stockholm Syndrome is employed curiously here, because the antagonist is our hero too, and our victim is no ordinary victim.

There is danger in staying here. I know it. She knows it.

But my biggest concern now is not having her with me.

As I said, this is a fast-paced thriller. I admire Kubica for pacing that thrill and withholding the twist until the epilogue. As I get to the end, my anxiety grew stronger. And her simple and unswerving prose made this all the more gripping. I rarely bawled over reading, the last time was The Time Traveler’s Wife, six years ago, until now. This is heartbreaking but complexly satisfying. I listened to the audiobook as well, and it just swept me. It was beautifully done.

The problem with this novel is not its plot, or characters, nor its writing. The problem lies in its promotion. I don’t know where it started, but comparing this with Gone Girl, or quoting this as the “next Gone Girl” is pretty unfair and made the wrong impression/expectation in the reading community. As far as I can tell the similarity of the two books begins and ends with having a missing person in the story. This novel conveys a very different structure and message. As I said from the beginning, this book should be praised for its own merits. 

If you have a taste for suspense, you shouldn’t skip this one.

Book details:

Title:  The Good Girl

Author:  Mary Kubica

Publication:  Blackstone Audio; July 29, 2014 

Genre:  Suspense/Thriller, Fiction

Rating:  ★★★★★

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