Song of the Goddess Review in West Georgia Living

Check out my latest review of Song of the Goddess by author Jason Argos in this issue of West Georgia Living Magazine. Check out the article on page 55-56.

West Georgia Living Magazine - Beyond the Tempest Gate by Jeff Suwak

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Review: Sea Scoundrel by Annette Blair

*As published in West Georgia Living Magazine March/April 2013 issue.

"Falling in Love with romance all over again with ..."

Review by T.L. Gray

Author: Annette Blair

Publisher: ABA LLC; 2nd edition Expected Release Date: May 10, 2012

Pages/Genre: 267/Romance

Bio: A New York Times best-selling author, Annette Blair left her job as a Development Director and Journalism Advisor at a private New England prep school to become a full time writer. At forty books and counting, she added cozy mysteries and bewitching romantic comedies to her award-winning historical romances. She also stepped into the amazing world of self-publishing.
Awards:
1997 RWA Golden Heart Finalist
1991 A Heart of the Rockies Award
1991 A Dallas Area Romance Authors

Book Description:

Publication Date: May 10, 2012

SEA SCOUNDREL, Knave of Hearts, One of Four

--Lady Patience Kendall crossed the sea to marry, but her intended died before she arrived. Penniless and stranded, she found only one way to get home: Bring rich American Misses to England to find them titled husbands. At the ship, she realized their mothers expected each to wed the Marquess of Andover. She'd have to seek an introduction. On the journey, Captain Grant St. Benedict was anything but friendly. Just because her girls caused a few mishaps? Grant had never met a woman more irritating, or more desirable, than the Lady Patience Kendall. But however dangerous his interest, he couldn’t resist teaching the delicious distraction that independence was nothing to passion.

Review:

I’m not much of romance reader, preferring most often the heart-felt coming of age young adult stories, the mystery and magic of historical fiction, or getting lost among the adventure often spread over a series in an epic fantasy.  Not since I was a teenager have I delved into a good, old-fashioned romance.  What is a good, old-fashioned romance?  I’m not sure, but it sounded virtuous to declare it as such.  My idea of romance is Jane Austen’s Price and Prejudice, and for many years believed that the historical beauty simply set the bar too high, and no other romance would be able to compare, so why bother reading them.  I’m glad I reconsidered after all this time to give a romance novel a chance, or at least a little glance.  I’m so glad I did, and have since filled my Kindle full of Annette Blair’s lovely stories.

In the mood for a sea adventure, working on my own epic fantasy based upon the rolling waters of the open sea, I came across a copy of Sea Scoundrel by Annette Blair.  It sat unopened, unconsidered and very much neglected in my eReader for a few weeks, mostly due to my romance bias.  But, one Saturday, with a free afternoon, and a sense to do something out of my comfortable box, I scrolled across the title and opened my mind, and heart, into the world of Lady Patience Kindall and Captain Grant St. Benedict. 

From the moment when the young, vibrant, determined Lady Patience tripped and found herself sprawled out in an un-ladylike fashion on the docks for the entire world to see her in her humiliation, I was baited.  Then, when the hand of a gruff sailor reached out to help her, I saw the writing on the wall.  My heart instantly latched onto the seaman and never let go for one moment throughout the rest of the story.  I fell hard very rapidly, so quickly, in fact, I questioned whether I carried enough objectivity to read and give an unbiased review.  I smile when I say, with all confidence I am, and tout my quick affections to the effective, powerful and excellent writing of the author Annette Blair.  

I spent the afternoon lost among witty banter, embarrassing situations, and lots of moments of passionate outbursts, prejudices, and pride built from steel.  Though not quite as epic as Austen’s ingenuity, it held its own and sailed right into my heart.  The quest:  Lady Patience is to escort a handful of rich young American ladies to the English gentry in an effort to secure them a wealthy and connected family. Of course, no journey ever ends as was intended, and each of our characters, especially the young Lady Patience and the dashing Captain St. Benedict, discover who they truly are, what their personal strengths and weaknesses may be, and then making the choice to be what makes them happy.  I’m all for a Happily Ever After.  In our fast-paced world, a little character development is much needed.  This is a clean read, not filled with sex and violence, and one I found that really pulls on the heartstrings.

However, this tale doesn’t stand alone on its own, but is part of a Knave of Hearts, a band of unruly boys from the Zebulon Fishkill Academy in 1805, who make a bond, to swear an oath, to be there for one another, to call on each other in times of trouble, whatever life hands them.  Knowing about this pact from these young boys, who all grew up and become dashing romantic men, always stayed in the back of my mind as I read this adventure.  And so compelling of a writer was Annette Blair, I found myself instantly downloading and jumping right into the next story, the next part of the Knave of Hearts and haven’t even given a glance backwards. 

So, am I now a hopeless romantic?  Perhaps I’ve always been a romantic, but I’ve found a work of art that has the power to sweep me away for a few hours and allow me to go on an adventure that is not only romantic, but filled with intrigue, humor and witty banter. 

I highly recommend this series, or any book or series from Annette Blair (having now devoured most of her publication list) for any reader who wants to take a light-hearted adventure. 

Till next time,

~T.L. Gray

Reviewed By:

 Reviewer:  T.L. Gray is a local author from Temple, Georgia.  She has five publications including: The Blood of Cain, Keezy’s 10 Awesome Rules for Teenaged Dating, Milledgeville Misfit, The Arcainians and A Kid in the Park as part of the anthology, Triumph Over Tragedy: Anthology to help Hurricane Sandy victims.   Ms. Gray works as a full-time novelist, editor, writing tutor, social media specialist and website manager.  She is an active Member of the Carrollton Creative Writer’s and Atlanta Writer’s Club, contributing writer to Impact Times Magazine and The West Georgia Living Magazine.  T.L. Gray is a 2012 Nominee for GAYA (Georgia Author of the Year Award), a NaNoWriMo 2012 Winner, and panelist in the upcoming Friends of the Library Literary Festival in Carrollton and the 2013 Georgia Literary Festival in Milledgeville.  www.tlgray.net

Review - Prophecy - R.T. Kaelin

*Review Published in The West Georgia Living Magazine - Nov/Dec 2012 edition

Book: Prophecy (The Children of the White Lions #2)

Author: R.T. Kaelin

Publisher: Terrene Press

Genre: Fantasy

 

Book Description:

Publication Date: September 30, 2012

The God of Chaos is marching.  The Borderlands are nearly over-run, shredded by his army.  In a dusty village, ninety-four residents led by two soldiers make a last stand.  During the assault, one of the enemies isolates Rhohn Larus, a Dust Man.  Yet rather than kill, the monster gives him a cryptic message and begs he carries it east, claiming it could halt the war.

At Storm Island, Nikalys, Kenders and Jak are adjusting to their new lives as leader, mage and soldier.  In the nation’s capital, nobles spar, some conspire with the enemy, while others ally together to halt Chaos’ advance.  New friends will be made, old rivals rediscovered and secrets revealed.

The stage is set.  War is here. And the Progeny must rise to stop it.

Review:  

I feel very privileged that I was one of the lucky ones to receive an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy) of the second book of The Children of the White Lions series, The Prophecy from author R.T. Kaelin.  I was so excited that I put aside another project I was reading to dive right in, and I was NOT disappointed.

This story picks right up where the first book left off, with our heroes having survived their first huge battle.  They suffered loss and experienced a bit of tragedy, but instead of being defeated and depressed, they rose to the challenge and put on a shield of determination.

One of the first things I loved about this second installment was the way R.T. Kaelin brought us back to the basics and these powerful, wonderful heroes back to earth by showing their weaknesses and frailties.  Though they may be the “Progeny”, something prophesied by the great heroes that come before them, and had won their first victory, they were still far from where they needed to be in order to fulfill their destiny.  They still had a lot to learn, a lot more to overcome, and they realized they were inept and didn’t know everything.  This is called Character Building, and is true in both life and fiction.  THIS is what I love about story-telling – using fiction as a tool for teaching an inspirational message through example; giving readers something to think about and a hope to overcome their own challenges in life.  Showing that our titles, inheritance and privilege (or lack thereof) isn’t what makes us who we are – but the choices we make during moments of adversity.  

Kaelin does an excellent job with not only the progression of our characters development of magical skill, talents or latent abilities, but in personality, courage and strength of character.  He doesn’t just instantly fill our characters with greatness and then sends them off into battle to prove it.  Kaelin takes the time to build their true character through bits and pieces of moments that build that greatness within them - and expose their weaknesses.  I’m not even sure he knows he’s doing this – but it’s done really well. 

This section of the story is a little bit more mature than the one before (as it should be), so my recommendation would be for an older audience (but not too much older).  It’s still clean, positive and an absolutely beautiful story.  There are battles, magic, love and loss, but on a more mature level – on the same level of our characters.  R.T. Kaelin is also hereby inducted into the Evil Author’s Guild, which is a club for authors with a propensity to kill off beloved characters.  Be prepared to laugh out loud, but also to shed a few tears. 

Thank goodness R.T. Kaelin is busy writing the third book of this series, because I’m sitting on edge waiting to get my hands on it – and you will too.

Till next time,

~T.L. Gray

Author of the Arcainian Series

Review - Progeny - R.T. Kaelin

Review – Progeny - R.T. Kaelin

Published in The West Georgia Living Magazine - Nov/Dec Edition 2012

Book: Progeny (The Children of the White Lions #1)

Author: R.T. Kaelin

Publisher: Terrene Press

Genre: Fantasy

Book Description: 

Publication Date: November 27, 2010

Nikalys and his sister Kenders have grown up living a peaceful life in the small village of Yellow Mud. On a blistering hot day, brother and sister head to the lake for a swim. There, they witness a mysterious stranger send forth a massive, living wave that swallows their village. Believing they are the sole survivors, the two strike out on their own, hoping to discover why their home and family have been destroyed. They must make their way through a countryside where magic is outlawed while struggling with the revelation that one of them can “weave the Strands.”

Through their travels, these siblings discover that their simple life was an illusion. An epic, divine struggle has been underway for ages, and Nikalys and Kenders are at the center of it. Ancient, powerful forces have sought them since before their birth and hunt them to this day. Some wish to eliminate the threat they pose while others want to help the pair fulfill a destiny of which they are unaware. Myths and legends come to life, whisking the pair along a grand journey neither could have imagined possible.

  

Review:  

There are many reasons authors write stories.  Sometimes it’s to share a little bit of magic in a practical world.  Sometimes it’s cathartic, a release of pent up emotions and hurts that others can identify and share. Sometimes it’s to take a break from the harsh realities and escape in a bit of fantasy.  Sometimes it’s a vehicle used to spread a message, a moral code, a bit of wisdom or advice to pass down to the next generation.  There are many reasons.  In history, story-telling was very crucial to the development and understanding of humanity’s way of life, passing down traditions, values and knowledge to educate and survive.  Today, with the easy access to self-publishing and lowering of standards of excellence by traditional publishing, bookshelves and eBook readers are being filled most often with sensationalized stories, demoralizing values and re-telling of superficial history.  I’m guilty of a bit of this myself.  But, it has me wondering what future generations will look like because of this practice.  It also caused me to pause and re-evaluate the stories I read.

 

R.T. Kaelin has reminded me in his Children of the White Lions series of what it was that first had me fall in love with reading as a child.  It’s not full of sensationalism, pushing the boundaries of the moral code, or even re-writing history to fit modern-day ideals.  It’s about coming-of-age magic, destiny and first loves.  It’s about discovering who you are, regardless of what you’re told.  It’s about facing fears and adversity, but finding the strength to overcome them within yourself – not waiting on a superhero to swoop down out of the sky to rescue you – most often from your own messes. It’s about failing and finding the courage to get back up.  All these wonderful elements are brilliantly placed within a beautiful story centered on two brave teenaged boys and their rambunctious sister. 

Surrounding the central heroes are powerful minor characters, full of flaws, beauty, scars and well-developed personalities, along with a refreshing and straight forward magical system, and a battle for dominance from an imperfect and fallible antagonist.  This story isn’t just about the battles, the quest, freedom from oppression or victory of the war, but it’s about the lives that are involved.  This is a character-driven story, my favorite kind.  Kaelin stays true to the youth and inexperience of the main characters, allowing plenty of room for growth and development through the series.  I absolutely love them all – including many of the minor characters. 

I would recommend this book from young adult (10yrs – up) to adult.  It’s a wonderful story of loss, love, and leadership.  It’s a great example of reluctant heroes rising to the greatness that’s been thrust upon them.  It’s clean, it’s magical and it leaves the reader with hope instead of despair.  I can’t wait to read more.

Till next time,

~T.L. Gray

Author of the Arcainian Series

Twice Upon a Time - Review

Review first published in July/August edition of West Georgia Living Magazine, a bi-monthly print publication of the Times-Georgian. ©2012 Times-Georgian.

Author: Frank Allan Rogers

Publisher: Solstice Publishing

Expected Release Date: Summer 2012

Words/Genre: 94,000/Fantasy

Bio: Frank Allan Rogers, the new F-word in Fiction, lives at Fairfield Plantation in Villa Rica, Georgia with his wife, Mary. 

His debut book, Upon a Crazy Horse, was published in 2009 and nominated for Georgia Author of the Year Award for Best First Novel.

 Frank is a current member of the Carrollton Creative Writer’s Club, Western Writers of America, and Southern Independent Bookstores Association. 

Please check out Frank’s website at www.frankallanrogers.com  for announcements and appearances. He can also be found on Facebook.

Twenty-first century, philanderin’, womanizin’ and playboy millionaire August Myles is shot and killed during a senseless robbery on what was to be his fifty-seventh birthday.  At first, eternity seems quite pleasant.  He feels no more fear, fatigue, stress, or the aches and pains of aging, and as far as he is concerned, he looks damned good walking around in his favorite jacket and walking shoes.  That is, until he meets Socrates … Yes, that Socrates!  …and finds, though he never murdered, raped or stole from anybody, he doesn’t qualify for a ticket through the pearly gates. 

Socrates tightened the chord on his toga.  “Satan is demanding your soul.  You’ll have to take up your case with him.  I can do nothing, August.”

“Yes you can!  Go back to your precious Divine Council and ask them to take another look at my record,” August demanded, then requested, and then fell on his knees and prayed for another chance, one more time around.  “I can get it right next time, I know I can.”

That’s exactly what Socrates does, and the Divine Council, in a desire for a grand experiment, grants August his second chance by giving him a mission, but one that comes with a little twist and just a few restrictions.  

·         The Twist – August is sent back to the year 1847 to the Wild West, thirty years younger, but he will be almost as a mortal– complete with all weaknesses and desires, but no supernatural abilities. 

·         The Mission – August must escort and protect eleven-year old orphan, Emily Lewis, in a wagon train along the Oregon Trail. 

·         The Restrictions– August isn’t just wagering his soul against damnation, but that of a thousand other souls.  He cannot fail his mission, and he cannot have intercourse with a mortal.  

Trouble starts immediately for August as he arrives in Independence, Missouri with nothing more than the clothes on his back and a hundred dollars’ worth of gold coins in his pocket.  His first purchase – after a tough battle of hagglin’ with a black livery owner named Forrest (whom everyone else just calls, Trees), is an Appaloosa stallion named Aristotle for seventy-two-fifty, nearly three-fourths of all the money he carried.   It was still weeks away before the wagon train left for Oregon, and according to the Wagon Master, Clark Bonner, August will need a few more things to be in the train: basic supplies from Leeds, a rifle and ammo, a wagon that can haul a couple thousand pounds and can take a beating for six months, a team to pull the wagon, and a sixty-five dollar fee. Oh, and most importantly, he is not allowed to bring the whore Candy Valentine. The problem is, August already promised to take Ms. Valentine on the train with him as an escort for young Emily.  

  

As if August doesn’t have enough on his plate as it is, trying to earn enough coin working for the local saddle maker, Sam “Hoppy” Hopkins, to get everything he needs, and convince Bonner to make an exception for Ms. Valentine, he finds himself chasing down a thief he stumbles upon in the middle of the night who tries to steal a load of Mr. Bonner’s ‘shovels’. Come morning, after delivering the thief to Marshall Edenfield’s deputy, Jonas, August finds himself behind bars, accused of the very crime he tried to stop a few hours before, and the deputy nowhere to be found.   Gettin’ out of jail and proving his innocence becomes tricky for August, and is not without its complications – and let’s not forget there’s a real thief out there somewhere.  

As the train is set to roll out of Independence, Missouri, August has gained a wagon and a team of mules, a waiver of the sixty-five dollar fee to Mr. Bonner’s train, as well as a reprieve for Ms. Valentine.  Yet, it came with a strong warning that he would be held accountable for Candy’s behavior, and she was not to cause trouble, or else they’d both be kicked off the train. 

After a few days on the trail, August feels like he’ll be able to meet all his mission requirements, even the one about chastity – though Ms. Valentine makes that a bit difficult for him with her constant flirting and combined assumptions of the other wagoner’s, that is until fate steps in and he meets the most beautiful woman he has ever seen, Mrs. Diana Desmond. 

 

This young, beautiful, strong-willed widow confuses and befuddles August to the point of frustration.  He doesn’t understand how she can have such strong compassion one minute, and then cold treatment of his eleven-year old ward, Emily, the next.  She confides to August that her marriage had been one of convenience, and not of love, and she’s not shy about sharing her troubled past or how she feels about a particular cowboy.   He draws her in one minute, in moments of weakness and overwhelming desire, and then pushes her away the next, when he remembers his restrictions.  On top of that, he has to deal with Candy and her constant advances and the insufferable, egotistical Ian Callahan and his romantic notions toward Diana.   In his jealousy of Callahan, August finds himself in a high-noon showdown, facing death, and ultimately the failure of his mission – all for a woman.  How does he fare in the gun fight?  You’ll have to read and find out. But I can say this is not a ‘forbidden fruit’ moment and the undoing of August Myles.

“I’ll see you in Oregon City,” August said.

Diana stared at the ground. “Why should I believe that?”

“Because I love you.  I risked my life in a gunfight because I love you.”

“Gunfights don’t prove you love me.  They prove you’re stupid.”

“Love can make a man do stupid things.”

“Like getting himself killed?”

“Like kissing a woman who calls him stupid.”

“Then shut up and kiss me, stupid.”

…In that occasion of ultimate human intimacy, of life’s greatest pleasure that could have been created by none other than God – when time is suspended, when vision goes cloudy, when hearing is subdued, when all senses and desires surrender to passion in a perfect world and focus only on fleeting moments of pure ecstasy – August Myles and Diana Desmond …

Does August fulfill all parts of his mission?  Does he break his restrictions? Does he give in to his natural desires and temptations? Or does he have the strength to resist?

It seems every decision made by August bears an eternal consequence.    They cost him a best friend, his wagon to burn, and got the Devil scrambling to prepare a case against him at his trial with the Divine Council.

Before August is whisked away to face the battle for his soul, he finds a friend in an enemy, and trades his greatest treasure for a safe return.  

Does August Myles escape condemnation?

Is Socrates able to pull out a miracle?

What becomes of the women (Diana & Emily) August loves?

What happens to Candy Valentine?

I’d love to be able to tell you how this story ends, but you’ll just have to read it for yourself.  Frank Allan Rogers does an amazing job answering all those questions, and reading his words would be better than mine.  Rogers’ skill with novel writing is superb.  He grabs attention in the first paragraph and doesn’t let go until the last word.  I was ‘literarily’ pulled from my twenty-first century existence into a nineteenth-century adventure.  I fell in love with the wagon train lifestyle, as well as the cowboy, August Myles.  I know you will too.