The Reading Lark Book Review hits the nail on the head with their review of Lin Stepp's fourth book in the Smoky Mountain Novel series, For Six Good Reasons
Click on this link: Reading Lark Book Review to read the review.
Hot Topics
Search
Reviews
The Historical Novels Review of "Autumn Bends the Rebel Tree" says, "There is Hope in the Love One Woman Can Bring into the World"
Carolyn Guy’s debut novel, Autumn Bends the Rebel Tree, tells the story of Clarinda McCloud, a strong Appalachian woman who raises her large brood of children (seventeen!) in the mountains of North Carolina from 1913 to 1951. Married at 14 and widowed at 38, Clarinda must struggle to clothe and feed her brood.
Though the title page calls this work a novel, it reads more like a memoir and is told episodically. For those not used to reading mountain dialect, this book might prove problematic, but for one such as myself, raised in the mountains of West Virginia, Guy captures the idiomatic speech of the region – she’s spot on.
She also captures the Depression-era desperation of hardscrabble farmers struggling to eke out a living from rocky mountain soil and the love that often binds such families together. Fiddle-playing and dancing are the bright spots of such a life, and the McCloud family enjoys both. There is an innocence to this story set in an age before Americans came to expect life to be easy. And there is hope in the love one woman can bring into the world.
Anne Clinard Barnhill
The Historical Novels Review
Charleston, IL
Canterbury House Publishing, 2011, $16.95, pb, 261pp, 9780982539699
UNC Chapel Hill, Favorably Reviews "Autumn Bends the Rebel Tree"
July 19, 2011
UNC-Chapel Hill's Guide to Novels Set in NC
Clarinda Darningbush enters the world at the turn of the 19th century, the youngest in a large family rooted in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Absent parents and dangerous surroundings means she grows up quickly, learning from her older siblings how to thrive in the unforgiving mountain environment. One day, she stops with her brother to speak with a handsome, blue-eyed stranger, and her whole world does a “dipsy-doodle.” Rufus McCloud is just as smitten as Clarinda, and soon they are happily married. Seventeen children and Rufus’ banjo music fill their joyful home on Levi’s Mountain to the brim, but tragedy comes to call. Left without her dearest love, Clarinda must weather life as a widow and single mother, struggling through the Great Depression and World War II with the help of her devoted children. Hooking rag rugs for trade, fighting off panthers and bears, and even building a new house when a devastating fire destroys their old home, Clarinda is the epitome of strength and courage. Throughout this bittersweet life of toil, she sometimes sees and hears her winsome husband, although she tells no one. Clarinda is sure that one bright day they will be reunited, and as spry as they were in youth, dance off together on the air.
A Boone, North Carolina native, Carolyn Guy has put forth what many readers are calling one of the most accurate depictions of North Carolina mountain life during the 1930s and 1940s that they’ve ever read. Bursting with Appalachian dialect, music, and customs, readers will find Clarinda’s resourcefulness and faith an inspiration as much as they will enjoy the humorous scrapes and stories of her large, warm family.
Check this title’s availability in the UNC-Chapel Hill Library Catalog.
"Wadmalaw: A Ghost Story" Highly Recommended by Midwest Reviews
The Midwest Book Review: May 2011
The SciFi/Fantasy Shelf
Reviewed by James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
"It can be rough to enjoy a new home when the supernatural wants to crush you. "Wadmalaw" follows Liv and Autis Oakley as they cope with the crushing reality that their new Wadmalaw Island home is haunted by malignant spirits. They soon find however, that running is not an option as something else will follow them no matter where they go.
"Wadmalaw" is a fun and riveting work of the paranormal, highly recommended."
Library Journal Review: Hera's Revenge, "A Series to Watch"
Library Journal Review
May 1st
Mystery Genre
Hera's Revenge: An Yvonne Suarez Travel Mystery
"Yvonne, superconscientious travel agent, plans the perfect Greek tour for her group, only to have corpses pop up almost immediately. And then a priceless little gold sculpture of Hera is stolen from the museum when her group is there. As the wide-eyed bunch explores Athens and beyond, Yvonne befriends handsome David, who assists her in this homage—both in tone and locale—to Mary Stewart’s The Moon-Spinners. ...An abundance of red herrings...the author’s love of Greece and her insights into a tour group’s dynamics make this light romantic suspense debut a welcome distraction for an armchair traveler. A series to watch."
Review: "Hera's Revenge: An Yvonne Suarez Travel Mystery"
MIDWEST BOOK REVIEWER
Christy Tillery French
Yvonne Suarez, travel agent with the Pinkerton Travel Agency in Fort Lauderdale, FL, books a group tour to the Greek Islands. From the beginning of the tour, when a man’s body is found on the baggage claim conveyor belt in Athens, the trip goes awry. Bad luck follows the group as they continue on their tour, and Yvonne begins to suspect some of the passengers aren’t who they say they are. When two of the women meet with accidents which could have been fatal, Yvonne teams up with fellow traveler David Ludlow in hopes of keeping her tourist group safe. Yvonne is attracted to David but her years married to an abusive husband interfere with her ability to trust him. David, on the other hand, would like nothing more than to begin a relationship with Yvonne. But danger lurks ahead for the two, in more ways than one.
The premise for this mystery series is a refreshing addition to the mystery genre. The author excels at interweaving interesting historical and mythological data into the plot. This, along with her vivid visual descriptive, leaves the reader feeling as if s/he is actually touring the Greek Isles along with the group. Although characters abound, the author’s unique ability to introduce and flesh out each one voids any sort of confusion as to who’s who. Yvonne Suarez is an intriguing character, a woman who had the strength to leave an abusive relationship and harbors empathy for those in like situations. The mystery is one readers will be challenged to solve, filled with twists and turns and plenty of red herrings.
HERA’S REVENGE
AN YVONNE SUAREZ TRAVEL MYSTERY
by Wendy Dingwall
Canterbury House Publishing
Vilas, North Carolina
www.canterburyhouosepublishing.com
ISBN: 9780982905425
"Heart with Joy" A Coming-of-Age Drama
Posted by Sharon Galligar Chance, Las Vegas Review-Journal guest reviewer, Monday, Feb. 07, 2011 at 05:00 AM
In a heartbeat, 15-year-old Julian Hale’s quiet life is changed forever when his mother suddenly leaves his father. She says it’s to help her parents run their Florida hotel and to give her time to work on her writing, but Julian knows the truth is more complicated.
As Julian and his father struggle to adapt to being on their own, the teen discovers that life doesn’t have to be a daily struggle against depression. When his elderly next-door neighbor Mrs. Peters asks for his help in caring for the birds that populate her backyard, Julian finds the woman he was formerly afraid of is actually a sweet, knowledgeable old soul who longs for company. She teaches Julian that the most important thing in life is to learn to follow your heart and find your passion, and Julian’s passion turns out to be cooking.
Julian used to love to cook with his mother, and after she leaves, he returns to that interest mainly in order to avoid the fast-food his father keeps bringing home. But it is soon evident that Julian has a talent for cooking as he experiments with recipes he finds on the Food Network. He discovers a kindred soul in Tia, a grocery store cashier who also is interested in cooking, and it is love at first bite.
Meanwhile, Julian’s dad has embarked on a mission to run his first marathon, a daunting task for someone as out of shape as he has become. Sensing his father’s desire to become a better man in an effort to win back his wife, Julian supports his dad’s running and subsequent postcard love-letter campaign — acts that bond the two together as never before.
When Julian is given the choice to live with his mother in Florida or remain in North Carolina with his father, he faces a dilemma that will require courage, determination and devotion. The young man soon finds that sometimes the people and things you need most in life have been with you all along.
In “Heart with Joy,” North Carolina author Steve Cushman has crafted an enchanting story of love and finding one’s way in the world. Cushman perfectly captures the angst and surprising maturity of a young teenage boy struggling to do what he knows is right in this brilliant coming-of-age novel that would be ideal for teens, young adults and adults alike to enjoy.
Another 5 Star Review for "Heart with Joy"
We have chosen to leave out the synopsis portion of the article since it has been published frequently and publish only the review. To read the full article click on the reviewer link below:
Life in the Thumb (Blog Reviews)
Reviewer: Staci Thumb
Tuesday, December 28, 2010 'Heart with Joy' by Steve Cushman
Genre: YA but appeals to older adults
Why I wanted to read this book:
I read a wonderful review of this book on Jan's blog, Eating Y.A. Books, and just knew that I wanted to get my hands on this one. A week later I received an email from the author asking if I would like to review a copy and I had to say yes. I love YA books where the main character is a young man...just not enough of those out there!!!
What worked for me:
I absolutely adored Julian. This is a kid who came out of nowhere and just stole my heart. I wanted to protect him, feed him, shelter him, listen to him, and tuck him under my wing to keep him safe from hurt.
I liked Julian's dad...at first though I wasn't so sure. he does come across as someone who doesn't have time for others. But as Julian gets to know his dad better, so does the reader. I understood him as a parent and rejoiced when he finally decided to let his son know who he really was as a person, not just as a parent. It's not often that an author highlights and delves into the complexities of a father/son relationship. I found this to be one of my favorite aspects of the story.
I've known many women like Julian's mom. Those that think they need to get away from it all and find themselves. She didn't mean to break her husband and son's hearts, and even though I honestly felt that she didn't see any other options for herself at the moment, I'm still on the fence with how I feel about her.
Julian's next door neighbor was an absolute godsend. She was exactly what Julian needed in his life and I love the relationship that developed between the two of them. Julian became a much wiser and more thoughtful young man under Mrs. Peters' gentle guidance.
As Julian's cooking really blossoms so did my interest in each of the recipes he tried out on his dad. I felt like I could cook also...he inspired me to try something new each day in the new year! His growing love for cooking was beautiful to watch unfold.
Recommend? YES! YES! YES! The story is all about communication and having real conversations with each other. Too many families are busy with life and nonsensical things. We've forgotten how to just be in the moment and relish the birds singing or to be really in the moment when a loved one is talking to us. Julian was able to make some "real" connections with people in this story and it touched something within me that has made me refocus my attention on my son's when they're talking to me. They deserve to have me there....really aware and fully alive. This is easily one of my favorite books of the year!
My Rating: 5/5
Thank you to Steve Cushman for sending me a review copy. I was not compensated for my review. My thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author or publicist. They are my personal reflections based solely on MY experience while reading this novel.
Our State Magazine Reviews "Heart with Joy" by Steve Cushman
Arts & Culture
Heart with Joy by Steve Cushman
By Linda C. Brinson
Share|In addition to this review, author Steve Cushman shares a moving essay, "Fathers and Sons," and explores the theme that shapes his book, Heart with Joy.
When Julian Hale’s father comes home from work one April evening, wordlessly changes into sweats, and runs away, Julian’s first thought is that “he might not come back at all.” And that might be OK. Six weeks earlier, Julian’s mother abruptly left their home in Greensboro for Florida to help run her parents’ motel and finish her novel. Julian reasons that if his father disappears, he’ll get to live with his mother again.
But his father returns, panting, and informs Julian that he’s training for a marathon. With that statement, the layers of wisdom and emotion in this deceptively simple, gentle novel begin to unfold.
The notion that his unathletic father would run 26 miles is one of many unexpected developments that shake up the existence Julian has known his entire 15 years.
He was close to his stay-at-home mom. When she wasn’t writing her unpublished novels, she cooked, walked, and talked with Julian. Julian’s father worked long hours as a nurse and came home mostly to shower, eat, and sleep.
Surprises mount. The elderly bird-watcher next door draws Julian into a friendship and into a new understanding of life and love. A friendly girl who works at the supermarket learns that the way to a shy boy’s heart might be through the culinary skills he discovered after his mother left.
With his parents apart, Julian learns more about each of them — and about their relationship. Julian begins to understand the nature of sacrifice and the meaning of love. His greatest insight may be learning what can fill a heart with joy.
Steve Cushman’s second novel grows on you quietly, much as awareness and relationships grow on Julian. You read it to learn what happens to Julian, and then you reflect on the truths in this warm, memorable story.
Canterbury House Publishing. 2010, 182 pages, paperback, $14.95.
Fathers and Sons
By Steve Cushman
Why am I compelled to write about fathers and sons? Perhaps it is because I have a seven year old son myself or the fact that my father died almost twenty years ago, back when I was in my early twenties, around the time I started writing. Our relationship was similar to other father and sons that I knew of, meaning we were friendly enough toward each other, even if my father had no problem giving me a hard time about my long hair or ever-expanding waist line.
I wouldn’t say I really knew much about him besides the basic surface stuff: where he was from, what he did for a living, and that his idea of a good evening was a cold beer, a bag of pretzels, and a boxing match on ESPN. While I am sure there was more to him then what I knew, he never opened himself up to me, but I also never asked the questions that might have got him talking. Perhaps this is the way of fathers: keep the distance, don’t let your kids see you fail or be vulnerable in any way. I don’t know and I didn’t think too much about it until later, after he was gone and I found there were things I wanted to ask him, things I wanted to tell him.
Both of my published novels, Heart With Joy and Portisville, explore father and son relationships. My new novel, Heart With Joy, is about a lot of things–cooking and bird watching and falling in love for the first time, not to mention the importance of finding your passion in life–but at its core, to me, it is a story about a father and son relationship. In the novel, 15 year old Julian Hale’s mother leaves her family and moves from North Carolina to Florida under the pretense of managing her parents’ motel and finishing a novel she has been writing for years. Julian’s mother has always been the central figure in the family, so once Julian and his father, who have never been particularly close, are left alone they have to figure out how to live with each other. And they do eventually start to figure this out as they eat the meals Julian cooks for them.
My first novel, Portisville, while very different from Heart With Joy, also dealt with a father and son relationship. Portisville was a much darker novel, a mystery that centered around an unsolved murder, but again to me the novel was really about what happens when an estranged father and son come together over the course of a weekend.
My father died, obviously, before my first novel was published. I would have liked to hand him a copy and see the look on his face. I would have liked to hear him say he was proud of me. And I would have liked for him to hold my son when he was still a baby or to come to my house for Thanksgiving dinner and together we would split a six-pack of beer as we watched a football game or two. When he was weakened by turkey and beer, I would start to ask him questions about his life. That would be my plan. That is how I would get to know him.
While it’s not something I consciously set out to do, I see now that in Heart With Joy, Julian is allowed into his father’s world in ways I never was with my dad. He discovers what his father was like before he met his mother. He finds out that at one time his father had dreams of being a potter but he had given them up to go to school and become a nurse so he could support his family. Most likely, Julian never would have known these things, never would have asked, if he and his father had not been left alone together. This novel game me the chance, as a writer, to create the scenario I would have liked for my father and me, time to really talk, the chance to understand each other a little clearer.
In the end, perhaps that’s what writers do–we get to change, or re-write, what really happened, and give our characters resolutions to their problems. Something we don’t always get in real life. I just wish, like so many others, that I’d been smart enough to ask the questions that really mattered back when I had the chance.
Another Super Blog Review: "Heart with Joy" Goes Viral
We have lost count of all the blog reviews. Most have been extremely positive, especially in the young adult blogs. A Bookish Wonderland blog by reviewer Sheryla Melange is a perfect example:
My Rating: A+
Wow. This book sort of took my breath away. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this short, but extremely touching novel.
Julian is a great character, the kind of kid you can really connect with. His struggles with his parents separation are normal and easy to empathize with. Watching Julian grow into his love of cooking is interesting, when I never thought that reading about someone cooking could be. Mr. Cushman was able to take the scenes of Julian cooking and keep them completely real, while also very interesting. The reader is able to fall into the same rhythm Julian has as he chops, fries, and bakes his way through the challenges that are set in front of him.
I loved watching Julian's opinion of his parents grow and change. I remember the realization that my parents weren't the superhero's I thought they were, or the demon's either. Those days are hard for any child, no matter what age, and I think that a young adult reading this would really be able to gain a new insight with Julian's experience.
I appreciated how mature and well mannered Julian was, while at the same time his feelings that others would judge him for being so were that of a 15 year old. His relationship with Mrs. Peter's, the old lady next door, is sweet and where we learn the most about Julian. As events unfold I got choked up and even cried because the author lets us determine our own emotions about the ordeals. I loved this part of Cushman's writing.
All in all this is a wonderful read, and I highly recommend it. My copy was given to me for free in return for a fair and honest review. I will not be parting with it any time soon. Actually, I'm off to look up Steve Cushman's other works and add them to my wishlist. I suggest that you, my dear reader, do the same.
Review of HEART WITH JOY by Steve Cushman
By Christy Tillery French
Posted: Monday, October 04, 2010 Midwest Reviews, Christy's Shelf, Author's Den
Fifteen-year-old Julian Hale is not the typical teenage male. Instead of playing sports or actively dating, Julian loves spending time cooking with his mother. Julian’s world is upended when his mother unexpectedly moves to Florida and suspects her reason, to manage her parents’ motel, is just an excuse. Julian, who rarely interacts with his father, blames him but remains behind, determined to move to Florida after the school year ends. When an elderly neighbor befriends Julian, he begins to enjoy his time with her, feeding and watching the birds in her yard. Through her, Julian begins to understand it’s important to know someone other than superficially and to follow one’s passion. Since Julian’s passion is cooking, he begins to make dinners for his father and befriends a young woman who shares his love for cooking. When school ends, Julian is faced with the decision to move to Florida or stay at home with his father and new friends.
This well-written coming-of-age novel is heartwarming and poignant. Characterization is exceptional and realistic, the plot meaningful and intriguing. The development of the relationship between Julian and his father as it evolves is insightful and well-done. Through Julian’s narrative, the reader witnesses his journey of self-discovery, acceptance of his parents’ estranged relationship, and love of family and friends.
Another Super Review of "Heart with Joy"!
Short Novel Full of Hope
Published by the Salisbury Post, Saturday, September 18, 2010
“Heart with Joy,” by Steve Cushman. Canterbury House Publishing, Vilas, N.C. 2010. 182 pp. $14.95.
By Deirdre Parker Smith
Instead of an angst-filled life, Julian is pretty easy going for a 15-year-old. Not that he doesn’t have problems — his mother has moved to Florida to manage her parents’ motel and finish her novel, and his best friend has turned into a snobby jerk. And the old lady next door seems to have a grudge against him. And his father is a workaholic who just doesn’t know what to say to his son.
Instead of turning to alcohol or drugs, or roaming the streets wreaking havoc, Julian does what he has to. He takes care of himself and his father, a hospital nurse.
Julian cooks all the meals, cleans the house and shies away from girls. He keeps to himself, but feels a bit lonely.
His friend, Dennis, goes to a different high school because it has a better tennis team and coach. Dennis is a little full of himself — too full for Julian’s taste.
What Julian needs is someone to talk to, and his father is a man of few words. His father has also decided to run a marathon and throws himself into training, using hours of time he could be with his son to run away from his problems.
It turns out “Old Lady Peters” next door needs someone to help her around the house. And that turns out to be Julian.
Their relationship didn’t start out well, several years earlier, when she ran over Julian’s leg with her car. Of course, he was under her car trying to salvage a ball at the time. Mrs. Peters’ son Simon has warned Julian and his father to stay away from his mother.
So when Old Lady Peters speaks to Julian over the fence and asks for help, he’s very cautious.
But things start to improve. Mrs. Peters wants help feeding her birds, needs Julian to fill the feeders, clean and refill the birdbath, clean out a nesting box.
As their relationship grows, slowly, Julian finds that Mrs. Peters is the someone he has been needing.
She’s the one who makes suggestions of how Julian can reach out to his father, for example, riding his bike with his dad as he runs.
Julian, meanwhile, is honing his cooking skills, watching Food Network and studying cookbooks. Every night he tries something new.
By chance, he strikes up a conversation with the checkout girl at the grocery store, who invites him to a cooking club.
The nice thing about “Heart with Joy” is it is a book of hope, not miracles. Maybe it’s hard to believe a 15-year-old boy would behave so sensibly, but it happens.
There’s no violence or dangerous liaisons with tragic consequences.
This is a simple book about a boy who overcomes his loneliness and sadness by reaching out and blossoming within. It’s a book about adults who respond to a child in need in the best way. It’s about a father who thinks he’s miserable but discovers he’s OK, after all.
The mother remains a question, which is appropriate. Her excuse for leaving is the need to help her parents and a desire to finish her novel, one she has been writing and rewriting for years, but she’s running, too, her head filled with negative thoughts.
As Julian talks to his father and tries to pry things out of his mother, he learns that what’s underneath the excuses.
In the summer, Julian leaves his father and new girlfriend Tia to see his Mom in Florida. But by now, his idea of staying with her for good isn’t as appealing.
As they talk, he makes a very mature decision, one he knows he can live with. He realizes he can’t solve his parents’ problems, even if he has managed to get them talking again.
Cushman is also the author of “Portisville,” which won the Novello Festival Press Literary Award for 2004.
This little book may not be an award-winner, but it’s a pleasant read in which the unexpected happens — there’s no pat ending, no monumental crisis. It’s quiet and gentle and certainly suitable for teens and adults.
It’s the kind of thing that might help an angry teen see the other side — the growing up and being happy side.
You’ll like Julian and feel that the ending is right, and you’ll feel a little bit better about the world.
Heart with Joy reviewed by Tiffany Schlarman of Bookpleasures.com
Author: Steve Cushman
ISBN: 978-0-9825396-3-7
Publisher: Canterbury House Publishing
Heart With Joy is a coming of age novel about a young man named Julian Hale. In this novel the reader is presented with a young man who is different from most of his male friends. He enjoys spending time with his mom and cooking, he is helpful to neighbor, “Old Lady Peters”, and isn’t interested in dating a different girl every night. Julian is a shy and quiet boy who is confronted with the time in his life where he will transition into manhood. When Julian’s mom leaves home to care for her parents’ hotel in Florida, Julian is left alone with his dad, whom he has rarely seen or talked to. Over the course of this separation Julian meets key people who will shape and mold his life. He learns about love, purpose and true joy. Julian forms a relationship with his dad brought about by his moms’ departure. He learns that you never truly know a person until you spend time with them. It is a coming of age novel with a focus on filling your heart with one thing that gives you true joy and letting life happen around it, living a more purposeful life.
Heart With Joy was an easy and quick read. The book is written in a journalistic style in that it has fifty-two chapters and is 182 pages. This initially was a lot of chapters for me considering the length of the book. Mentally it threw me off that I was reading chapter five and still had 47 chapters left. Once I got into the novel this small issued disappeared. The story flowed easily and each chapter was short, preparing for the next. I enjoyed reading about a young man with a great character. He was respectful and honest. The novel was more about him learning to find something meaningful to him in life, something that would always give him joy no matter what else was happening. Julian learns about himself, about others and about love. He builds a relationship with his father that previously did not exist, realizing his assumptions and thoughts about his father were incorrect and based on judgment without knowledge. Julian learns important life lessons from his neighbor Mrs. Peters. His summer changes his life and Julian is left to choose what direction he wants his life to follow.
This novel was very uplifting and wholesome. It gives the reader a sense of pride to watch Julian grow into his own. It leaves the reader with reflection and thought about their own life and what makes them joyful or happy. The novel doesn’t end with every situation being happy, fixed or figured out. It ends with Julian’s self discovery and positive assurance about who he is and what makes him happy. Although it was short for me, this book is a wonderful young adult read. I would recommend it for readers age 12 and up. The novel is also a wonderful laid back afternoon read for adults.
Book Review: Our State Magazine Gives Rave Review of The Wind in the Woods
Our State - North Carolina
Arts & Culture
The Wind in the Woods by Rose Senehi
Review by Katie Baer
Senehi brings to life the daily rituals of camp, the counselors’ prodigious skills, and the children’s exuberance as they learn to love and respect the rugged land.
With the release of her fifth novel — the second in a series set in the Blue Ridge Mountains — Rose Senehi is emerging as a skilled teller of stories that connect people to place.
The Wind in the Woods unfolds around Camp Green River, an environmental youth camp near Brevard that is based on the actual Green River Preserve. As Tiger Morrison, fictional owner and fierce protector of the camp, fights to preserve the land that has been in his family for generations, Senehi brings to life the daily rituals of camp, the counselors’ prodigious skills, and the children’s exuberance as they learn to love and respect the rugged land. Through Alvin, a skinny 9-year-old smothered by older, over-protective parents, readers witness the camp’s ability to challenge youngsters to grow in ways they never imagined.
The reverie doesn’t last, however, as two independent enemies appear to close in. Through much of the story, Morrison struggles to raise $4 million so he can beat developers to a tract of land that could threaten the camp’s pristine wilderness. Meanwhile, the menacing presence of Gary Skinner, a psychotic killer who targets Morrison’s adult daughter, Sammy, moves into the shadows, raising the suspense to a heart-stopping level. In a characteristic twist of events, however, the ruthless maniac ends up kidnapping Katie, the camp cook — and the woman Morrison loves.
As the novel’s narrative races to its end, all the strands come together in a conclusion that satisfies both tree huggers and suspense fans.
Canterbury House Publishing. 2010, 243 pages, paperback, $15.95. Available at local bookstores.
Book Review: Edie Hand in Good Company with 'True Grit'
Edie Hand in Good Company with 'True Grit'
By Gary Tischler | May 19th, 2010
The Georgetowner
Source: http://www.georgetowner.com/articles/2010/may/19/edie-hand-good-company-true-grit
Hand and Savas at a book signing in Alabama.
You won’t find Oprah Winfrey or Kitty Kelley in the book “Women of True Grit,” co-authored by Edie Hand and Tina Savas. The absence is neither a reflection on Kelley, Winfrey, the book or its authors.
What you will find in “True Grit” is a remarkable group of 40 women, many of them pioneers in one arena of life or another.
Some are extremely well known, like Meredith Viera, the co-anchor of “The Today Show,” Phyllis Diller, one of America’s pioneering female comedians, or Joanne Carson, Johnny’s wife. Many are not household names, but should be: Justice Janie L. Shores, the first woman elected to a U.S. Appellate Court, Anne Tolstoi Wallach, the first woman to break the glass ceiling in the advertising world, Dr. Judy Kaminsky, psychologist, famed sex therapist and author of 12 books, Shirley R. Martz, the first female certified public accountant in North Dakota, retired Air Force General Wilma L. Vaught, the president of the Women’s Memorial Foundation, Martha Bolton, the first female staff writer for Bob Hope, and Anne Abernathy, the oldest woman athlete to ever compete in the Winter Olympics — as a bobsledder, no less.
You might see a theme here: the word “first” comes up a lot. These women had to endure ceilings, glass or otherwise, barriers, traditions, being as good and, more often than not, better in a man’s world.
The book includes a foreword by country singer Barbara Mandrell and a poem contributed by Dr. Maya Angelou, not to mention quotes from famous women, such as “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain,” from Dolly Parton. And it’s all the result of a partnership between Hand and Savas, the founder of the Birmingham Business Journal and a number of other publications in Alabama. Savas’ newspaper legacies included running lists: the 50 Richest Women, the top 40 under 40 and so on.
But the book’s spirit can be found in a real woman of true grit. That would be Edie Hand, who’s written books on Elvis, inspirational books, hosted television cooking shows and has written and produced numerous other books, including novellas.
The grit? Hand has probably experienced more personal tragedy than any one person should have to handle in a lifetime, losing three younger brothers. She is also a three-time cancer survivor, having just experienced the last episode while working on this book. Naturally, she feels blessed.
Her voice is rangy Southern: you’ll find Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee there and a lot of enthusiasm, energy and drive. “I thought it was an ideal partnership,” she said of working with Savas. “She had the publication experience, the whole experience of putting great lists together. We could do another forty with no trouble at all.”
Somebody ought to do one on her, however. She’s a cousin of Elvis Presley, and remembers hearing him when she was 16. She’s seen trouble and tragedy, all of which has somehow infused her with more energy.
“We wanted to give the women we chose their voices, their words, their views,” she said. “We can learn so much from each other and one of the things I’ve learned is how unique these women are, how alive, how admirable … how brave. They’ve got courage.”
The book debuted with a special book signing at the Women’s Memorial in Washington this spring. It’s a book you can take to the beach and be inspired by.
Book Review: The Wind in the Woods by Rose Senehi
Book Review: The Wind in the Woods by Rose Senehi
Published by: Canterbury House Publishing
Reviewed by Shawn Remfrey
at ArmChairInterviews.com
Published by: Canterbury House Publishing
Reviewed by Shawn Remfrey
at ArmChairInterviews.com
The Wind in the Woods
by Rose Senehi
At a North Carolina youth camp, drama and suspense unfold. The camp’s owner is dealing with the possibility that his precious camp may be destroyed. A young boy struggles to find himself amid family problems and social issues. A killer is preying on women in the Blue Ridge mountains nearby, leaving a trail of intrigue that ultimately leads to the camp.
I can see why Senehi has been praised for her work. It’s beautifully written with colorful, realistic characters. The place setting is absolutely gorgeous. She has a talent for displaying the beauty of North Carolina without bogging you down with unnecessary description. Each character in the book, from the main to the briefest encounter, are distinctly woven together so that each one has a unique personality. Senehi pulls you into another world and does it nearly flawlessly.My only issue with this book came in the beginning. I love the high drama that it starts out with, but found too many characters to remember them all throughout the first several chapters. Though each character is introduced separately, at the point that they all merge together you have to really struggle to remember who each character is and their position in the story. I did find that after a little time I came to know them well enough that I didn’t have to fight to remember who they were. It was like meeting an entire cast of characters and having to sort them out until I came to know each one personally.
In the book there’s also a strong undercurrent of protection and appreciation. This spans from the interaction of characters to environmental issues. We get a glimpse of how a youth camp works at it’s finest. The characters learn to cope with each other with a new understanding. We also get a first-hand look at how the environmental process works when it involves the sale of land and environments that need protection. Thankfully, this part wasn’t long and drawn out. I was a bit concerned at first that it would become nothing but legal mumbo jumbo and was glad that Senehi stuck to the basics instead of bogging the story down.
(Source: ArmChairInterviews.com. Reviewer: Shawn Remfrey. Original web address: http://reviews.armchairinterviews.com/reviews/wind-in-the-woods)
