Showing posts with label #novel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #novel. Show all posts

August 7, 2017

Book Review - A Desolate Hour by Mae Clair

Sins of the past could destroy all of their futures . . .
For generations, Quentin Marsh’s family has seen its share of tragedy, though he remains skeptical that their misfortunes are tied to a centuries-old curse. But to placate his pregnant sister, Quentin makes the pilgrimage to Point Pleasant, West Virginia, hoping to learn more about the brutal murder of a Shawnee chief in the 1700s. Did one of the Marsh ancestors have a hand in killing the chief —the man who cursed the town with his dying breath?

While historian Sarah Sherman doesn’t believe in curses either, she’s compelled to use her knowledge of Point Pleasant to uncover the long-buried truth. The river town has had its own share of catastrophes, many tied to the legendary Mothman, the winged creature said to haunt the woods. But Quentin’s arrival soon reveals that she may have more of a stake than she realized. It seems that she and Quentin possess eerily similar family heirlooms. And the deeper the two of them dig into the past, the more their search enrages the ancient mystical forces surrounding Point Pleasant. As chaos and destruction start to befall residents, can they beat the clock to break the curse before the Mothman takes his ultimate revenge? . . .

"
Buy link Amazon

My Review


“Run from the thunder,

Run from the rain,

Lightning can’t hurt you,

The wind is in vain,     Sarah keeps saying in A Desolate Hour.
    .
Mae Clair is one of the best writers I've read. I've read a lot, indie and traditional.  She's one of the best overall. Her writing style and also the characters she creates are amazing, yet, characters any of us can easily  relate to. Once I started reading I couldn’t put the book down until I had read every word. I loved the characters, especially  Caden and Eve. But more characters are added to the story here in A Desolate Hour, like Sarah and the mysterious QM from book 2. Each with her or his secret and karmic burden.I want to make a special mention of Shawn, a perfect portrayal of an evil character, no matter his justification.

By the way, the title is a perfect fit for the story. The author couldn’t have found a better one.

For someone who is reading Book 3 it would be helpful to read the previous stories to fully tie all the threads together. But the book can be read as a standalone and there are reminders along the first chapters smoothly weaved in the plot that help the reader understand who’s who.

I knew I had to prepare myself to say goodbye to this incredible cast of characters at the end of this book, especially to Drayandor. Sadly this  did nothing to lighten the blow. With every passing page I marveled over the genius of the words before me and fretted over the dwindling number of pages left ahead of me. Now a few words about the story. 
Amazing. Entertaining. Beautiful, [of course.] I don't know if I'd want to know a person who couldn't absolutely adore this entire series. As I  mourn my goodbyes to these characters I have come to know and love (and sometimes hate, see Obadiah's descendant) and attempt to pull myself together to face life again, I offer a most sincere plea to Ms.  Clair to be so kind as to spin another tale for us (and quickly). The world is truly a better place with her books in it for everyone to enjoy.

The suspense builds constantly making readers curious to see what comes next. And the expectations aren’t in vain. Almost each chapter, and even scenes, end in cliffhangers that urge you to postpone other chores and go on reading.

For example:

“Everything that happens around here gets blamed on Cornstalk’s curse.”or

“The tip of the scars he carried from the Mothman poked from beneath his sleeve. . . . the welts had never changed in appearance or texture. Until today. Normally vibrant red, they were now jet black." or
"It was time to leave, to get out before someone spied his Charger in the
driveway. He cleaned up the sink, wiped up his bloody prints, and looked
around for a piece of paper.
There was one more thing he had to do to make the scene complete."

Based on a real tragic event the three books combine, in a skillful way, folklore, paranormal and romantic suspense. If you love mysteries linked to the Men in Black, UFOs, the Mothman, Ouja boards, curses spanning the centuries and marking the main characters’ lives or   reincarnation this is a series you SHOULDN''T miss!


         To sum up - another superb story, packed full of action and emotion,  by the talented Mae Clair that will keep lovers of the paranormal/romantic suspense  genre well entertained!

September 3, 2016

Guest Promo (CLXXV) Craig Boyack and The Experimental Notebook



I have a wonderful guest visiting today. Please, welcome Craig Boyack with his latest release The Experimental Notebook.  What could he write down in it, huh?  
He is on a tour with a collection of short stories, and also shares with us from his writing experience. So without further talk here is our guest.

Thanks for inviting me today, Carmen. I'm here to talk about my newest book, The Experimental Notebook of C. S. Boyack II.





This book is a collection of short stories that can be read individually during a lunch break, or even a coffee break in some cases. They run the gamut of science fiction, paranormal, and even one fantasy.


Carmen wanted me to discuss the difference between short form and novels. To be honest, there isn't much available online and most of those articles tell you to make them shorter. While that may be true, it isn't much help. I've had to learn all this myself, by reading some classics, watching some films, and trying things out.



With a novel, you have enough room to detail scenes, do some world building, and go on a traditional hero's journey. A short story isn't capable of all that, but you might weave some bits in there. One of my short stories is called Last Flight of the Rocket Men, and it's one of the longer ones. I spent a little bit of time exploring this new world, but not in the detail you might get in a novel.


I think most good short stories are about an epiphany. The character growth is limited to that moment, and revealing it is the basis of the short story. She really does love me, aliens are real, I'm moving out and going to Orlando. Sure in my stories it might be an extraordinary event in that person's life. Possibly even the end of their life. But the epiphany is there.



I also wrote a short story lesson that went semi-viral one day. It involves the twist endings that sometimes show up in short form. These make the stories fun, and I included one of my own micro-fiction pieces as an illustration. The story is from the first Experimental Notebook, which is also 99¢. Those of you who are interested might want to check it out at https://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com/2016/04/09/a-short-fiction-trick/



Take a 99¢ chance. Short fiction is a time honored way of telling a story, and it nearly died out. Amazon gave it a new lease on life, and it's one of my favorite forms.
                                                  ***

Yes, blooging buddies, follow Craig's advice and take this 99c. chance. It's worth it, trust me!
 Buy link:

Thank you Craig for being my guest today! How's Lisa, your radio assistant, by the way?

                           
You can find more about the author and his works here:
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