By P. Gardner Goldsmith
Book Review:
Fishing is a riveting read - icy cold horror mixed with psychological realism, all wrapped up with a demented twist worthy of Richard Matheson. This is not for the faint of heart - those easily triggered by blood, violence, and assault should look elsewhere. But for readers looking for a fast-paced, chilling look into the heart of evil, this story is made to order!
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From the book jacket: Darmentraea became a prison, Galaseya a thriving utopia; Diraetus finally found peace, and Heirsha provided healing to all. Amber and her friends had adjusted to their new roles in life, when an unexpected surprise appeared on Heirsha—a secret truth. One that could shed light on the mysteries surrounding the immortal families. Why so much bitterness? What happened between Jermiar and Huntinylar? What secrets does Marsacor conceal behind his course exterior? Who is the mysterious family member that no one seems to want to talk about? And why were both families plagued by constant tragedy? One answer—Khyra Crawford. Book Review: Amber Oak's story gets even more detailed in this imaginative prequel from author Ceara Comeau. Years before the events of Memories of Chronosalis, Kyhra Crawford rebels against her industrialist father's demanding ways and slip-shop production practices. Determined to stop the pollution that her father is producing, Khyra joins an underground research team, dedicated to saving the planet. When a deadly virus wipes out most of earth's population, it seems the human race is doomed - until Kyhra's old friend reappears with a bold - and risky - plan. But even if they save the human race, can Krhra and her rag-tag team of unlikely allies save humanity from an even more insidious evil? Remorse is a galaxy spanning adventure with a spunky lead - though listed as prequel, it is definitely best read after Memories of Chronosalis. by Madeline Miller Released April 10, 2018 Born in the house of Helios, the sun god and leader of the Titans, Circe is an outsider. She isn't powerful like her father or seductive and manipulative like her mother. Instead, Circe has a mind of her own, the voice of a human... and the power of witchcraft. When one of her spells turns a cousin into the dreaded monster Scylla, Circe is banished by the Olympian Zeus to a deserted island and there begins an epic journey of self-discovery. Alone on the island, she hones her skills, tames the wild nature around her, and meets some legendary characters: the Argonaut Jason and his witch-wife Medea, the tragic Daedalus and his son Icarus, the Minotaur, and the wily, unforgettable Odysseus. When Circe becomes a mother and unwittingly draws the full wrath of the gods down on her once-ignored island, it will require every trick in her book to protect what she loves... and choose, once and for all, where she truly belongs. Ms. Miller weaves a tantalizing tale of love, power, and true strength, imbuing Circe with both terrible flaws and human-like weaknesses. Those familiar with the myths will enjoy encountering their heroes through Circe's eyes and with Ms. Miller's lucid and elegant prose, the reader will be hard pressed to put the book down. The story is at times brutal, grotesque, and bold, as all Greek and Roman myths are, but it's also beautiful, sad, and heartening, a true epic of a novel. It is surprisingly uplifting and refreshingly old-fashioned: through this wild tale of a rejected, marooned, and vengeful witch-goddess, the goodness and worth of simple humanity is beautifully celebrated. Highly recommended. By Joyce Poggi Hager Musings off the Matt is a collection of warm, funny, sometimes heart-wrenching essays by New Jersey writer Joyce Poggi Hager. Ranging from family stories to recipes, they recount her Italian heritage, childhood, motherhood, and early empty nesting, Hager’s stories read like a conversation between two old friends over a cup of coffee – you’re barely a paragraph in when you find yourself feeling like you’ve known this person and her family forever. Collected from the best of Hager's popular blog series (and featuring a story she'd written for Chicken Soup for the Soul), the essays allow you to meet the author at life's most intriguing, hilarious, and heartfelt moments: from fond childhood memories to mothering her own children, from discovering she has lime disease to helping her elderly and widowed father cope with loneliness and a move to a new city. Written with clean, tight prose, these cheery little stories are sure to provide a comforting escape and calm reassurance to anyone who’s ever dealt with family or found themselves searching for the perfect biscotti recipe. Recommended. A World War 2 veteran reflects on his past one Christmas Eve. A suburban single-mom moves into a new neighborhood and finds herself dodging the attentions of the eccentric science teacher next door. A young boy takes his first flight in his mother's boyfriend's plane. An aspiring actress in 1950s New York finds help from an unusual source. A man who has everything finds himself in love with the one woman he can never have - or can he? Uncommon Type is a collection of 17 short stories by Tom Hanks, all of which feature, in one way or another, a typewriter. Book-ended (see what I did there?) with stories of a tight-knit if eccentric group of friends, Hanks' stories are alternately tragic and hilarious, folksy and edgy, hopeful and heartbreaking, but always human. In fact, that's probably the best thing you can say about this book: you put it down feeling that, in some way, the world is a little warmer and a little more home. Not all of the stories come off perfectly - it feels in some that Hanks is stretching his literary muscles a little beyond their capacity - but that being said, its been a while since I've read a new book that made me feel like the human race was all right. I could use a few more books like this one. (Note to clean-read enthusiasts like myself, there are a few adult scenarios in these stories.)
Goodreads Book GiveawayTale Half Toldby Killarney TraynorGiveaway ends October 31, 2017. See the giveaway details at Goodreads. by Tony Daniel The USS Enterprise is assigned to Vara Nebula to discover why science outpost Zeta Gibraltar is not answering Federation hailing signals. What they find is a deserted post, no life forms, and signs that indicate a violent firefight. Impossible as it seems, it appears that the members of the science team have been kidnapped by pirates who deal in the slave trade: pirates that are supposed to have been completely dispersed decades ago. The Enterprise immediately goes off in pursuit.. and find not only the pirates and their kidnapped scientists... but Mr. President George Washington as well. This is only the beginning of a strange, twisting adventure that brings Captain Kirk and his intrepid crew face-to-face with some of the heroes and villains from their past. Savage Trade is one of the few Trek books to really surprise me: constantly moving, with plot twist after plot twist, it's one of the most fun of the books and definitely one of the closest to the feel of the original series. Daniel has done his research on the characters well and if the final act is a little less-than-original and if there are a few unnecessary scenes here and there, the book more than compensates in its cheer, pacing, and sheer reading enjoyment. Highly recommended. Character Ratings: Kirk, Sulu, and Chekov: A+ Spock, McCoy, and Scott: B+ Uhura: too little seen to judge Book 3 in the Seasons of Love series, by Liwen Ho. Librarian Chloe McAlister has almost gotten used to life with a cochlear implant, thanks to her best friend Dill Thomas, when life hands her another unforeseen twist: her longtime crush announces his engagement to someone else. On a whim, she signs up for a speed dating session and convinces Dill to go along with her, only to discover that Dill might actually be the man of her dreams after all. But he's met someone else. Is it too late for happily ever after? Liwen Ho writes short, fun stories that are easily read during your lunch hour and she has the happy knack of writing characters that you like from line one. Chloe and Dill are a likeable pair who are so natural on page that you'd swear you know them in real life. Chloe's struggles with self-image after her cochlear implant feel realistic and it's refreshing to see a rom-com character deal with something so life-altering in a fun, positive way. This is book three in the Seasons of Love series, and while each book is stand-alone, characters from previous books do crop up in in this one. Highly recommended. Enter to Win Two Tickets to the |
Note: I read The Egyptian Elixir first, but definitely recommend that you start with Book One: The Order of Blood. | Happy Valentine's Day! |
Their 5-year mission coming to an end, the intrepid crew of the Enterprise finds themselves scattered to the four winds. Captain Kirk finds himself without a ship and after a brief tussle with the admiralty, finds himself accepting a promotion and a diplomatic position within Star Fleet. This pleases neither Spock nor Dr. McCoy. Spock returns to Vulcan to accept a post in a university, while McCoy pursues an old flame. But as they struggle to adjust to planet-side life (and a life without one another), an ancient evil arises and unites with a current enemy. Soon the old friends will find themselves fighting not only to save each other - but the fate of the Federation of Planets as well.
The Lost Years promises to fill the gap between the original TV show and the Star Trek: the Motion Picture. It may have more aptly been named The Lost, Rather Downer Year, as it barely covers one and what it does cover is rather depressing.
JM Dillard skillfully works together multiple plot lines, so many and so varied that it isn't until the 3rd act that you can see how they work together. Kirk resigns himself to desk-work and diplomacy, a fate made easier by the fact that he is reunited with Riley (the loveable Irishman from Season 1) and his boss is a comely Admiral who isn't immune from his charms. Spock, disappointed that Kirk will not take another ship, resigns from Star Fleet and pursues a relationship himself. And Dr. McCoy, ever doomed to romantic disappointment and convinced that Kirk has been hoodwinked into his new position, is adrift and lost, though accompanied by a witty and bright scientist who is studying ancient religions. The other characters make brief appearances and everyone is well-shown, Dillard obviously being a fan of the show.
But the whole book is so darned depressing. You wince as Kirk begins to make concessions, trimming his larger-than-life personality to fit behind behind the desk and into a career as a diplomatic problem-solver and we agree with McCoy when he accuses him of selling out to the higher-ups. McCoy is his sharp, tenacious self, but Spock is more than usually withdrawn and making his own concessions to the ordinary life. As is usual in friendships, their concessions affect their relationships, so much so that by the end of the book, you find yourself actually looking forward to The Motion Picture (now THAT is a sentence I'd never thought I'd write!) when some of this will be put right again.
Summary: Stellar plotting, strong lines, good side-character (I'm still annoyed at Kirk's new commanding officer), but depressing overall feel.
Character ratings:
McCoy A++
Kirk and Spock: A
Everyone else: too little seen to rate.
The Lost Years promises to fill the gap between the original TV show and the Star Trek: the Motion Picture. It may have more aptly been named The Lost, Rather Downer Year, as it barely covers one and what it does cover is rather depressing.
JM Dillard skillfully works together multiple plot lines, so many and so varied that it isn't until the 3rd act that you can see how they work together. Kirk resigns himself to desk-work and diplomacy, a fate made easier by the fact that he is reunited with Riley (the loveable Irishman from Season 1) and his boss is a comely Admiral who isn't immune from his charms. Spock, disappointed that Kirk will not take another ship, resigns from Star Fleet and pursues a relationship himself. And Dr. McCoy, ever doomed to romantic disappointment and convinced that Kirk has been hoodwinked into his new position, is adrift and lost, though accompanied by a witty and bright scientist who is studying ancient religions. The other characters make brief appearances and everyone is well-shown, Dillard obviously being a fan of the show.
But the whole book is so darned depressing. You wince as Kirk begins to make concessions, trimming his larger-than-life personality to fit behind behind the desk and into a career as a diplomatic problem-solver and we agree with McCoy when he accuses him of selling out to the higher-ups. McCoy is his sharp, tenacious self, but Spock is more than usually withdrawn and making his own concessions to the ordinary life. As is usual in friendships, their concessions affect their relationships, so much so that by the end of the book, you find yourself actually looking forward to The Motion Picture (now THAT is a sentence I'd never thought I'd write!) when some of this will be put right again.
Summary: Stellar plotting, strong lines, good side-character (I'm still annoyed at Kirk's new commanding officer), but depressing overall feel.
Character ratings:
McCoy A++
Kirk and Spock: A
Everyone else: too little seen to rate.
by Steve Hobbs
17-year-old Miri Jones is determined to be a police detective, like her father. When she stumbles upon a mutilated corpse in the woods during her morning run, she's convinced that she's found her first case. But this is no ordinary killing and it soon becomes apparent that not only is Miri in danger, but the entire town of New Hope as well. Plunged into the middle of a war they never knew existed, can Miri and her friends survive?
The first book in a series, Steve Hobb's novel reads like a fun, old-fashioned horror/adventure, a sort of Nancy Drew meets the X-Files. Miri Jones is a likeable protagonist who finds herself squaring off against desperate vampires, but she's not alone in the fight. While her father, Chief Jones, finds himself in an uneasy alliance with federal agents, Miri and her rag-tag team of quippy teens assemble to bring the killers to justice - and maybe save a family member as well.
Fast-paced and fun, with enough twists and turns to keep you entertained, this is a solid opening for a series. Highly recommended.
17-year-old Miri Jones is determined to be a police detective, like her father. When she stumbles upon a mutilated corpse in the woods during her morning run, she's convinced that she's found her first case. But this is no ordinary killing and it soon becomes apparent that not only is Miri in danger, but the entire town of New Hope as well. Plunged into the middle of a war they never knew existed, can Miri and her friends survive?
The first book in a series, Steve Hobb's novel reads like a fun, old-fashioned horror/adventure, a sort of Nancy Drew meets the X-Files. Miri Jones is a likeable protagonist who finds herself squaring off against desperate vampires, but she's not alone in the fight. While her father, Chief Jones, finds himself in an uneasy alliance with federal agents, Miri and her rag-tag team of quippy teens assemble to bring the killers to justice - and maybe save a family member as well.
Fast-paced and fun, with enough twists and turns to keep you entertained, this is a solid opening for a series. Highly recommended.
It's 19 years since the battle of Hogwarts, and the Boy-Who-Lived is now a husband, father, and head of his own department. But though Voldemort's long gone, all is not well in the wizarding world. There's movement in the outer realms, a gathering of dark magic, and Harry himself is being tortured by potent dreams. And to top it all off, his shaky relationship with his son, Albus, a Syltherin fourth-year, is being exacerbated by Albus's friendship with Scorpius Malfoy. When Albus and Scorpius go missing, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Malfoy, and Ginny are called to battle once again - but this time, it may not be their's for the winning.
When J. K. Rowling said that the Harry Potter story was complete with book seven, we would have done well to take her at her word.
Let's start with the pros: almost everything that you like about the Potter world is back in Cursed Child - riddles, wands, brooms, time-travel, witty comebacks, and themes of sacrifice and friendship. Your favorite characters have returned and in pretty good form, too: Ginny, Hermione, and Prof. McGonagall are terrific as always, and Harry himself has aged nicely into a 40-year-old. Ron comes across more like the cinematic character than the book form, but is still good for a laugh or two. Its fun to see them as established adults, with families and jobs: rather like running into old friends that you haven't seen in a while, but remain exactly the same for all the time that's passed.
But at it's best, Cursed Child is fun only in the way that fan-fiction is: a throwback with some new players, but adding nothing substantial to the cannon. (Note: one could argue that the Big Reveal is adding to the cannon - I would agree, but counter-argue that it was cliche and the Potter fandom deserved better.) The twisty mystery that was at the core of every Potter book is thin here and some of the charm is lost as a result. Despite the warnings to 'keep the secrets', there's nothing new here, nothing revelatory, and certainly nothing that would surprise anyone who read the first seven books. Looking back, I honestly don't know what secrets they're imploring play-goers to keep - everything in here has either been covered in Pottermore or by you and your friends over a mug of butter beer back in 2010.
While there are moments of fun and the original characters are solid, the father-son relationship is tiresome, the emotional subplots heavy handed, and the Big Reveal is no shock to anyone who's seen as many non-essential sequels as I have (to date, I'm the only one I know who actually enjoyed Beyond the Poseidon Adventure - I rock that way). The story suffers, in part, from brevity: we are unable to bond with the sulky Albus and perky Scorpius the way we were with Harry, Hermione, and Ron because this is only a script, not a series of novels. But even allowing for this, Cursed Child is momentarily diverting, but ultimately unnecessary.
Agree? Disagree? Comment below and let me know what you thought of the newest Harry Potter!
When J. K. Rowling said that the Harry Potter story was complete with book seven, we would have done well to take her at her word.
Let's start with the pros: almost everything that you like about the Potter world is back in Cursed Child - riddles, wands, brooms, time-travel, witty comebacks, and themes of sacrifice and friendship. Your favorite characters have returned and in pretty good form, too: Ginny, Hermione, and Prof. McGonagall are terrific as always, and Harry himself has aged nicely into a 40-year-old. Ron comes across more like the cinematic character than the book form, but is still good for a laugh or two. Its fun to see them as established adults, with families and jobs: rather like running into old friends that you haven't seen in a while, but remain exactly the same for all the time that's passed.
But at it's best, Cursed Child is fun only in the way that fan-fiction is: a throwback with some new players, but adding nothing substantial to the cannon. (Note: one could argue that the Big Reveal is adding to the cannon - I would agree, but counter-argue that it was cliche and the Potter fandom deserved better.) The twisty mystery that was at the core of every Potter book is thin here and some of the charm is lost as a result. Despite the warnings to 'keep the secrets', there's nothing new here, nothing revelatory, and certainly nothing that would surprise anyone who read the first seven books. Looking back, I honestly don't know what secrets they're imploring play-goers to keep - everything in here has either been covered in Pottermore or by you and your friends over a mug of butter beer back in 2010.
While there are moments of fun and the original characters are solid, the father-son relationship is tiresome, the emotional subplots heavy handed, and the Big Reveal is no shock to anyone who's seen as many non-essential sequels as I have (to date, I'm the only one I know who actually enjoyed Beyond the Poseidon Adventure - I rock that way). The story suffers, in part, from brevity: we are unable to bond with the sulky Albus and perky Scorpius the way we were with Harry, Hermione, and Ron because this is only a script, not a series of novels. But even allowing for this, Cursed Child is momentarily diverting, but ultimately unnecessary.
Agree? Disagree? Comment below and let me know what you thought of the newest Harry Potter!
A short story by Liwen Ho
All health blogger Alyssa Yu wants to do is give up on dating, focus on her work, and polish off her favorite canister of ice cream. When her family expects her to bring a date to the Christmas party, she has to convince her friend and neighbor, Barry Chang, to stand in as her boyfriend for the night. The ploy works perfectly - until Alyssa and Barry end up under the mistletoe. Suddenly, Alyssa has to reconsider her relationship - and face down some of her own faults. Can a luckless-in-love blogger find her happy ending after all?
If you're looking for some Christmas-in-July feel-good romance reading, look no further. Ho's Merrier is short and sweet with some real-to-life conflict thrown in. Alyssa and Barry are charming, the pace is relaxing, and the story solid, reading like a Drew Barrymore rom-com. Definitely recommended!
Follow Liwen Ho on her blog.
All health blogger Alyssa Yu wants to do is give up on dating, focus on her work, and polish off her favorite canister of ice cream. When her family expects her to bring a date to the Christmas party, she has to convince her friend and neighbor, Barry Chang, to stand in as her boyfriend for the night. The ploy works perfectly - until Alyssa and Barry end up under the mistletoe. Suddenly, Alyssa has to reconsider her relationship - and face down some of her own faults. Can a luckless-in-love blogger find her happy ending after all?
If you're looking for some Christmas-in-July feel-good romance reading, look no further. Ho's Merrier is short and sweet with some real-to-life conflict thrown in. Alyssa and Barry are charming, the pace is relaxing, and the story solid, reading like a Drew Barrymore rom-com. Definitely recommended!
Follow Liwen Ho on her blog.
Summoned by a 10-year-old distress signal, the Enterprise rushes to the Black Box Nebula Station One to rescue a team of scientists lead by Spock's cousin, T'Prylla, and her family. Hampered by the presence of an inexperienced young reporter and a new computer system that has the power to over-ride Kirk's command, they arrive at Station One only to find that all seems well - on the surface. But T-Prylla, her family, and the team are being controlled by a sentient force - a force that threatens the entire Universe as we know it.
Corona is not, alas, an illusion to alcohol, but the name of the sentient being that controls the hapless Vulcan scientists that Kirk and crew have come to save. A fast-paced novel with an intriguing sci-fi basis, this episode rushed along too quickly for me to really get into the story. This is really too bad, as there are several elements to the story which could have been drawn out and delved into. At 192 pages, it's not the shortest Star Trek book I've read, but it felt like it.
The characters come off pretty well, with Bear's Kirk being more thoughtful and less gut-instinct than Shatner's. While entertaining and fun, Corona will not rock your world and adds nothing to the Star Trek universe. Rating: Meh
Characters:
Kirk and Spock - B
McCoy and Uhura - B+
Checkov - B-
Everyone else: too little seen to judge
Corona is not, alas, an illusion to alcohol, but the name of the sentient being that controls the hapless Vulcan scientists that Kirk and crew have come to save. A fast-paced novel with an intriguing sci-fi basis, this episode rushed along too quickly for me to really get into the story. This is really too bad, as there are several elements to the story which could have been drawn out and delved into. At 192 pages, it's not the shortest Star Trek book I've read, but it felt like it.
The characters come off pretty well, with Bear's Kirk being more thoughtful and less gut-instinct than Shatner's. While entertaining and fun, Corona will not rock your world and adds nothing to the Star Trek universe. Rating: Meh
Characters:
Kirk and Spock - B
McCoy and Uhura - B+
Checkov - B-
Everyone else: too little seen to judge
Over the course of the past few weeks, I got a chance to interview Jenna Brooks, a talented author, awesome editor, fierce Mother’s Rights activist, and former homeschooling mother of two. "Unconventional" is a word that particularly suits Jenna: she couldn’t resist turning the interview on me a few times!
Jenna’s the author of award-winning October Snow, its sequel An Early Frost, and a new set of handbooks for survivors of domestic violence. Here, she discusses her new projects, her thoughts on evil and truth in the world today, and how her faith influences her writings.
KT: The obligatory first question: what started you writing?
JB: Dude. Really?
I'm not one for self-introspection. It can turn paralyzing (not to mention, boring) real fast. Best I can tell you is, it's a compulsion. Always has been.
C'mon. Go philosophical on me. Or maybe issues - let's give the reader something to talk about.
KT: Okay, challenge accepted: Here are two questions: Your books, October Snow and An Early Frost center on strong female characters and their friendship with each other, something that can seem a rarity in books and movies these days. How do you feel women are generally represented in books and movies today? And how do you hope your books and characters speak to women today?
JB: I don't believe that women are represented authentically at all in books and movies (or in any form of media, for that matter). Not these days, anyway. Generally speaking, I think the vapid, oversexed, emotionally over-dependent females that we too often see in art and in media are no more than the fantasies of a culture that has turned wholly contemptuous towards women, and we aren't portrayed realistically. It's an insidious kind of propaganda, designed to keep women silent - because the most powerful force of good known to mankind is a woman who knows her worth, and who has no problem with making her opinions known.
As for the second question: I hope I help women to remember their dignity. To find their voices. While this culture debates to death every evil (or what is perceived as evil) out there, we aren't talking about the main reason that this culture is circling the drain: Women have been silenced, and the primary weapon used against us is shame. It's now arrived at the point where the very things that shamed us into silence - porn, faux-feminism, abortion, all resulting in the "Jezebel" theology of far too many churches - have been fully mainstreamed into our society. They're accepted as being normal. And when you consider these facts: 1. Very few women were in positions of institutional, media, or judicial/legislative power when these aberrations were promoted and incorporated - for our own good, they told us - and 2. That women are now blamed for the results... Well, you have to wonder if the greatest scam of all time has been played against women.
KT: Dignity is a great word that you don't hear all that often. I notice that you use it a lot in After Awareness, your guide to helping battered women, which is based in part on your 10+ year experience helping domestic violence victims. What do you find is a major stumbling block to those who've lost their sense of dignity?
JB: I'll answer, but you go first. What do you think is a stumbling block to women's dignity? Or, do you not regard it as an issue?
Jenna’s the author of award-winning October Snow, its sequel An Early Frost, and a new set of handbooks for survivors of domestic violence. Here, she discusses her new projects, her thoughts on evil and truth in the world today, and how her faith influences her writings.
KT: The obligatory first question: what started you writing?
JB: Dude. Really?
I'm not one for self-introspection. It can turn paralyzing (not to mention, boring) real fast. Best I can tell you is, it's a compulsion. Always has been.
C'mon. Go philosophical on me. Or maybe issues - let's give the reader something to talk about.
KT: Okay, challenge accepted: Here are two questions: Your books, October Snow and An Early Frost center on strong female characters and their friendship with each other, something that can seem a rarity in books and movies these days. How do you feel women are generally represented in books and movies today? And how do you hope your books and characters speak to women today?
JB: I don't believe that women are represented authentically at all in books and movies (or in any form of media, for that matter). Not these days, anyway. Generally speaking, I think the vapid, oversexed, emotionally over-dependent females that we too often see in art and in media are no more than the fantasies of a culture that has turned wholly contemptuous towards women, and we aren't portrayed realistically. It's an insidious kind of propaganda, designed to keep women silent - because the most powerful force of good known to mankind is a woman who knows her worth, and who has no problem with making her opinions known.
As for the second question: I hope I help women to remember their dignity. To find their voices. While this culture debates to death every evil (or what is perceived as evil) out there, we aren't talking about the main reason that this culture is circling the drain: Women have been silenced, and the primary weapon used against us is shame. It's now arrived at the point where the very things that shamed us into silence - porn, faux-feminism, abortion, all resulting in the "Jezebel" theology of far too many churches - have been fully mainstreamed into our society. They're accepted as being normal. And when you consider these facts: 1. Very few women were in positions of institutional, media, or judicial/legislative power when these aberrations were promoted and incorporated - for our own good, they told us - and 2. That women are now blamed for the results... Well, you have to wonder if the greatest scam of all time has been played against women.
KT: Dignity is a great word that you don't hear all that often. I notice that you use it a lot in After Awareness, your guide to helping battered women, which is based in part on your 10+ year experience helping domestic violence victims. What do you find is a major stumbling block to those who've lost their sense of dignity?
JB: I'll answer, but you go first. What do you think is a stumbling block to women's dignity? Or, do you not regard it as an issue?
KT: Wait, who is giving the interview here?
All right: the concept of dignity is suffering across both genders and I think a lot of it has to do with knowing who you are. Dignity means self-respect, a sense of pride in oneself, something that, by definition, takes time and effort to build. But how can your respect what you don't know or cannot define? We're largely choosing not to raise our children in religion, our families are scattered, and our national identity is being shattered. Even the concept of gender is becoming a fluid idea. If you don't know that you're a child of God, or your family, or if being patriotic is good, or whether or not you're even male or female, how can you know yourself enough to respect yourself?
Truth is being redefined to mean "what is true for me or you at this particular moment". We learn largely through trial and error - but if there is no error, no truth that we cannot reason or talk our way around, no good, no bad, no wrong, no right, and everything can change on a dime... How can you build anything, including self-respect, on shifting sand?
So, that is my two-cents and I turn the camera back to you: What do you find is a major stumbling block to those who've lost their sense of dignity? And how can they overcome it?
JB: Real quick, on your comments about truth: The truth is not a wide road, and it's not a free-flowing, individualistic narrative that's defined by one's personal experiences. It's a pinpoint of stark reality, never changing, created by God and no one else. And we either accept it or we reject it - and I believe that creating alternate realities is a factor in the emotional instability we see all around us.
I mean, I disagree with that famous quote about the definition of insanity - that it's doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different result. If that were accurate, then no one is sane. I think insanity is indicated by the level of outrage a person experiences when the results are always the same. And we can tell the truth about how we feel, but when we term our feelings as the ultimate "truth" - and worse yet, deem them to be divinely inspired - we're tap-dancing all around the unpardonable sin. Just my opinion.
Okay, the biggest stumbling blocks to dignity: For males, I say it's fear of being a hypocrite - which, when you boil it down, is actually a form of cowardice. This culture has gone off the rails; yet instead of doing the required one-eighty and setting the example for our children, they tend to hide inside their shame. The only way to overcome that is through three little words: "I was wrong." And then make it right.
For women...? Okay, here's another question for you (and again, generally speaking): How do you think people react to a woman who thinks highly of herself? Who sets immovable standards for how she will be treated?
KT: People who act with dignity and self-respect tend to inspire a like response in others. Those who are easily threatened (bullies, the childish, etc) will probably react poorly, as they would when confronted with other good things in life.
As to your second question, in a free society (absent of slavery or serfdom) the dignified woman (or man) sets the standard for themselves. However, dignity is not determined by the treatment of others: it is both inherent and assumed by the individual. Since we're both Christian, I can comfortably say that God values us and it is from Him alone that we receive our worth. Being treated badly by others does not change our worth (because it has not that power) and need not change our self-respect: some examples of dignity maintained under fire would be Rosa Parks, Mother Theresa, Booker T. Washington, and Maximilian Kolbe. What bad treatment can do is blind us to our sense of worth - which is, indeed, a terrible, terrible crime.
Okay, back at you. Your books deal heavily with recovering a sense of self after abuse, both verbal and physical. What is a practical way a friend can help a recovering victim towards recovering her (or his) true sense of worth and self-respect? Or is this something that the victim can only do alone?
All right: the concept of dignity is suffering across both genders and I think a lot of it has to do with knowing who you are. Dignity means self-respect, a sense of pride in oneself, something that, by definition, takes time and effort to build. But how can your respect what you don't know or cannot define? We're largely choosing not to raise our children in religion, our families are scattered, and our national identity is being shattered. Even the concept of gender is becoming a fluid idea. If you don't know that you're a child of God, or your family, or if being patriotic is good, or whether or not you're even male or female, how can you know yourself enough to respect yourself?
Truth is being redefined to mean "what is true for me or you at this particular moment". We learn largely through trial and error - but if there is no error, no truth that we cannot reason or talk our way around, no good, no bad, no wrong, no right, and everything can change on a dime... How can you build anything, including self-respect, on shifting sand?
So, that is my two-cents and I turn the camera back to you: What do you find is a major stumbling block to those who've lost their sense of dignity? And how can they overcome it?
JB: Real quick, on your comments about truth: The truth is not a wide road, and it's not a free-flowing, individualistic narrative that's defined by one's personal experiences. It's a pinpoint of stark reality, never changing, created by God and no one else. And we either accept it or we reject it - and I believe that creating alternate realities is a factor in the emotional instability we see all around us.
I mean, I disagree with that famous quote about the definition of insanity - that it's doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different result. If that were accurate, then no one is sane. I think insanity is indicated by the level of outrage a person experiences when the results are always the same. And we can tell the truth about how we feel, but when we term our feelings as the ultimate "truth" - and worse yet, deem them to be divinely inspired - we're tap-dancing all around the unpardonable sin. Just my opinion.
Okay, the biggest stumbling blocks to dignity: For males, I say it's fear of being a hypocrite - which, when you boil it down, is actually a form of cowardice. This culture has gone off the rails; yet instead of doing the required one-eighty and setting the example for our children, they tend to hide inside their shame. The only way to overcome that is through three little words: "I was wrong." And then make it right.
For women...? Okay, here's another question for you (and again, generally speaking): How do you think people react to a woman who thinks highly of herself? Who sets immovable standards for how she will be treated?
KT: People who act with dignity and self-respect tend to inspire a like response in others. Those who are easily threatened (bullies, the childish, etc) will probably react poorly, as they would when confronted with other good things in life.
As to your second question, in a free society (absent of slavery or serfdom) the dignified woman (or man) sets the standard for themselves. However, dignity is not determined by the treatment of others: it is both inherent and assumed by the individual. Since we're both Christian, I can comfortably say that God values us and it is from Him alone that we receive our worth. Being treated badly by others does not change our worth (because it has not that power) and need not change our self-respect: some examples of dignity maintained under fire would be Rosa Parks, Mother Theresa, Booker T. Washington, and Maximilian Kolbe. What bad treatment can do is blind us to our sense of worth - which is, indeed, a terrible, terrible crime.
Okay, back at you. Your books deal heavily with recovering a sense of self after abuse, both verbal and physical. What is a practical way a friend can help a recovering victim towards recovering her (or his) true sense of worth and self-respect? Or is this something that the victim can only do alone?
JB: I dunno, Traynor... I feel like you sidestepped (but only slightly) the issue of the response to women who display their dignity. But I'll let that go. (Yeah. That's bait.)
Last question first: Some women are fully able to recover on their own, but with no thanks to a culture and a court system that I believe is, at best, lukewarm about actually advocating for abused women. In too many cases, our institutions are actually allies of the criminal.
I suppose that's a whole other topic, though.
As for the first question: I have to take brief issue with the way you phrased it, because I don't agree with the notion that violence against men is even in the same universe as violence against women; if nothing else, the results are vastly different, as are the options for escape and subsequent rehabilitation. The determination to equalize the genders in all things is, on its face, a troubling cultural trend - and when it comes to DV, the results can be deadly.
That said, helping a battered woman can be a minefield. The first thing that caring people can do, and should do, is to get educated. Most people are badly misinformed about what's really going on out there, and there's plenty of research that blows a hole through the conventional ideas about DV and its targets. And definitely, everyone needs to get up-to-speed on the truth about the Family Court industry, especially if they still believe that the courts favor mothers. They don't, and abused mothers and children are often further traumatized by the system's acceptance of (alliance with?) the Father's Rights movement. (Anyone who wants to learn more can start here.)
After becoming fully educated - and having avoided the Father's Rights propaganda while doing so - there's a process to helping a target survive and then get back on her feet. I wrote that handbook that explains what to do and what not to do, but the best advice I can offer is this: Never lose sight of the fact that women who are terrorized have experienced trauma. Sounds obvious, right? Yet if we're honest, doesn't our society pin some of the responsibility for an abuser's felonies directly on the woman he battered? And after she escapes, if indeed she does survive him, doesn't our society treat her like she should be able to simply start her life over again - no problem?
Finally, do what you can to change the culture, because the roots of DV are now firmly planted within our lives. Again, I have suggestions for that in After Awareness.
KT: Yes, I agree that we tend to just want the victim to 'just move on'. I suppose this could be seen as a reflection of our collective guilt as a society. After all, most DV abuse happens right under our noses, to people that we see on the playgrounds, at stores, in parties, schools, churches, and book clubs, and yet often we're caught unawares.
So, we have your handbooks to learn more. Is there a place for DV victims and their friends to go to discuss the often overwhelming task of rebuilding a life and self?
JB: Not usually - not for what happens after a DV situation. That's why I wrote the books.
Are we going to talk about literature soon?
KT: Of course we are! Which authors or books have most heavily influenced you?
JB: My writing isn't influenced by other books, but my life is directed by The Bible, and I read non-fiction from authors such as Dan Allender and Charles Stanley. I keep Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning on my desk.
That said, I'm inspired by my interactions with people - and when I come away angry enough, I write.
Last question first: Some women are fully able to recover on their own, but with no thanks to a culture and a court system that I believe is, at best, lukewarm about actually advocating for abused women. In too many cases, our institutions are actually allies of the criminal.
I suppose that's a whole other topic, though.
As for the first question: I have to take brief issue with the way you phrased it, because I don't agree with the notion that violence against men is even in the same universe as violence against women; if nothing else, the results are vastly different, as are the options for escape and subsequent rehabilitation. The determination to equalize the genders in all things is, on its face, a troubling cultural trend - and when it comes to DV, the results can be deadly.
That said, helping a battered woman can be a minefield. The first thing that caring people can do, and should do, is to get educated. Most people are badly misinformed about what's really going on out there, and there's plenty of research that blows a hole through the conventional ideas about DV and its targets. And definitely, everyone needs to get up-to-speed on the truth about the Family Court industry, especially if they still believe that the courts favor mothers. They don't, and abused mothers and children are often further traumatized by the system's acceptance of (alliance with?) the Father's Rights movement. (Anyone who wants to learn more can start here.)
After becoming fully educated - and having avoided the Father's Rights propaganda while doing so - there's a process to helping a target survive and then get back on her feet. I wrote that handbook that explains what to do and what not to do, but the best advice I can offer is this: Never lose sight of the fact that women who are terrorized have experienced trauma. Sounds obvious, right? Yet if we're honest, doesn't our society pin some of the responsibility for an abuser's felonies directly on the woman he battered? And after she escapes, if indeed she does survive him, doesn't our society treat her like she should be able to simply start her life over again - no problem?
Finally, do what you can to change the culture, because the roots of DV are now firmly planted within our lives. Again, I have suggestions for that in After Awareness.
KT: Yes, I agree that we tend to just want the victim to 'just move on'. I suppose this could be seen as a reflection of our collective guilt as a society. After all, most DV abuse happens right under our noses, to people that we see on the playgrounds, at stores, in parties, schools, churches, and book clubs, and yet often we're caught unawares.
So, we have your handbooks to learn more. Is there a place for DV victims and their friends to go to discuss the often overwhelming task of rebuilding a life and self?
JB: Not usually - not for what happens after a DV situation. That's why I wrote the books.
Are we going to talk about literature soon?
KT: Of course we are! Which authors or books have most heavily influenced you?
JB: My writing isn't influenced by other books, but my life is directed by The Bible, and I read non-fiction from authors such as Dan Allender and Charles Stanley. I keep Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning on my desk.
That said, I'm inspired by my interactions with people - and when I come away angry enough, I write.
KT: You need to explain that last comment.
JB: I think my anger is my most productive resource for my work. It motivates me. And I often wonder why so many people have turned tepid toward the evil in the world - how it is that they can look directly at the destruction of another soul and say nothing, do nothing. Or worse, find a way to blame the one who is being oppressed. Every time I think I'd like to go do something else, I'm reminded of a couple of people who were very close to me, whose lives was taken apart by violence. Not so much by the actual abuser, but by the ignorance and subsequent apathy of those around them. And I decide to stay in the fight.
I think I got off topic. Sorry.
KT: No worries! People have compared your books to Stephen King, though yours do not feature the supernatural. How do you feel about that comparison? Do you think it's apt?
JB: Stephen King? I don't recall that one. I've heard Gillian Flynn and Liane Moriarty, because my novels - especially October Snow - mess with the reader's head. I got a couple of comments referencing Hitchcock (not sure why that would be, though), but I haven't heard a comparison to King.
Speaking of Hitchcock, I so would put your books up there with his movies, but we'd have to also include comparisons to the great classic romances of that era. Like Necessary Evil - who would you cast as Greg and Maddie? Same for Summer Shadows: who would play Robert and Julia?
KT: Hey, I'm supposed to be interviewing you, not the other way around!
Seriously, I don't mind telling you who I'd cast in my books (though once you found out who inspired Gregory Randall, you'd throw something at me), but you're the subject, so I'm turning the question back on you: if you could cast whomever you'd like to play Josie, Samantha, and Maxine, who would play them?
JB: No idea. No, actually, I think Chelsea Noble would be perfect as Jo. The others... I haven't thought about that in a long time.
(And readers: Killarney told me privately which famous Hollywood actor inspired the character of Greg Randall. I LOVE it.)
KT: What future projects can the readers expect from you?
JB: I have three novels that I hope to launch in the next two years. Meltdown is Book Three of the October Snow series. It's a straight-up murder mystery, where Jack Seever turns up dead and the main suspects are the survivors from the first two books. I'm having a ball with this one. I never wrote a murder mystery before.
Ventriloquist is a bit of a mindbender. Actually, it's a huge mindbender, deals with stalking - and what happens when the tables are turned.
None So Free will come out in 2017. It's a tearjerker, and it may be my favorite project ever.
By the way, I'll offer the handbooks After Awareness and The Alienated Mother for free on the day you post this interview, so let me know when.
Know what? I'll price my novels at 50% off, too. I'll make an event out of it.
Thanks for the chat. It was a lot of fun.
KT: You can find Jenna's website at Jenna Brooks Online, and follow her on Twitter at @shesjennab.
JB: I think my anger is my most productive resource for my work. It motivates me. And I often wonder why so many people have turned tepid toward the evil in the world - how it is that they can look directly at the destruction of another soul and say nothing, do nothing. Or worse, find a way to blame the one who is being oppressed. Every time I think I'd like to go do something else, I'm reminded of a couple of people who were very close to me, whose lives was taken apart by violence. Not so much by the actual abuser, but by the ignorance and subsequent apathy of those around them. And I decide to stay in the fight.
I think I got off topic. Sorry.
KT: No worries! People have compared your books to Stephen King, though yours do not feature the supernatural. How do you feel about that comparison? Do you think it's apt?
JB: Stephen King? I don't recall that one. I've heard Gillian Flynn and Liane Moriarty, because my novels - especially October Snow - mess with the reader's head. I got a couple of comments referencing Hitchcock (not sure why that would be, though), but I haven't heard a comparison to King.
Speaking of Hitchcock, I so would put your books up there with his movies, but we'd have to also include comparisons to the great classic romances of that era. Like Necessary Evil - who would you cast as Greg and Maddie? Same for Summer Shadows: who would play Robert and Julia?
KT: Hey, I'm supposed to be interviewing you, not the other way around!
Seriously, I don't mind telling you who I'd cast in my books (though once you found out who inspired Gregory Randall, you'd throw something at me), but you're the subject, so I'm turning the question back on you: if you could cast whomever you'd like to play Josie, Samantha, and Maxine, who would play them?
JB: No idea. No, actually, I think Chelsea Noble would be perfect as Jo. The others... I haven't thought about that in a long time.
(And readers: Killarney told me privately which famous Hollywood actor inspired the character of Greg Randall. I LOVE it.)
KT: What future projects can the readers expect from you?
JB: I have three novels that I hope to launch in the next two years. Meltdown is Book Three of the October Snow series. It's a straight-up murder mystery, where Jack Seever turns up dead and the main suspects are the survivors from the first two books. I'm having a ball with this one. I never wrote a murder mystery before.
Ventriloquist is a bit of a mindbender. Actually, it's a huge mindbender, deals with stalking - and what happens when the tables are turned.
None So Free will come out in 2017. It's a tearjerker, and it may be my favorite project ever.
By the way, I'll offer the handbooks After Awareness and The Alienated Mother for free on the day you post this interview, so let me know when.
Know what? I'll price my novels at 50% off, too. I'll make an event out of it.
Thanks for the chat. It was a lot of fun.
KT: You can find Jenna's website at Jenna Brooks Online, and follow her on Twitter at @shesjennab.
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