Short & Not-So-Sweet Sundays

On March 30, 2014 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn CoziesLeave a comment

I don’t know about y’all, but this year seems to be going by in a whirlwind! In between road trips, bluebonnet peeping and animal rescuing, I haven’t had much time to review all the books I’m reading! To keep you up to speed on my latest reads, here’s a small smattering of reviews. What’s on your weekend reading list? Post a comment and tell me all about it!

The Good

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

I’ll tell you right now that Unspoken has earned a spot next to all my other “to read again” books on the shelf. When authors take on a gothic ghost story, they absolutely must use the dark and gloomy setting to their full advantage. Pick up a Barbra Michaels book and you’ll see just what I mean. This talented author has clearly mastered the art of mood and atmosphere. Through her lyrical prose, she creates a sense of poetic dread as the protagonist hunts down clues in her sleepy little English village. I felt like I was right by Kami’s side as she investigated the dark English manor filled with secrets and shady suspects. Trust me, this book is definitely worth your time if you’re a fan of gothic mysteries filled with romantic tension, quirky gal pals and magical creatures.

The Bad

The Last Days of California by Mary Miller

I love books about road trips, so I didn’t even think twice about spending one of my precious Audible credits on this one. It has all the right ingredients for the perfect cross-country journey of self-discovery: A troubled family, an anxiety-ridden teenage girl, and a good ol’ American road trip. But alas, the book didn’t even come close to delivering on its promising premise. To be honest, I’m rather surprised by all the five-starred reviews. I was expecting the two teenage sisters and the oblivious parents to evolve at some point, but nope. I was looking forward to exploring the weird roadside attractions as the holy rolling family traversed across the American Southwest. Not so much. The characters are pretty much restricted to generic greasy spoon restaurants, dingy motel rooms and vending machine snacks. I was bored after the first chapter but hoped that the plot would develop at some point. Didn’t happen. I’m used to feeling let down like this when I read short stories with abrupt, unresolved endings. It sucks when you invest a lot of time into a book and end up getting duped in the end. No more titles by this author for me, thanks. If you want to read a great road trip book, give this one a pass and pick up Amy Roger’s Epic Detour.

The Ugly

The Collection by Bentley Little

Egads! There aren’t enough adjectives to describe this repugnant piece of garbage. I wanted to listen to something spooky on our road trip to East Texas and didn’t want to commit to a full novel. So what better than an audiobook of short horror stories by an established novelist? I’m familiar with Bentley Little’s books and really thought his short stories would be just as solid as his traditional ghost stories. Boy was I wrong! Little did I know, these are horrible – not horror – stories. Trust me, there’s a difference. I’ll spare you the gory details, but I will say that if torture porn makes you uncomfortable, don’t pick up this book. Very awkward when you’re traveling with your father sitting in the backseat! Seriously, how does this shit get published?

Jessica’s Cranky Corner: Beauty Pageants, the Media and Corporate Greed

On March 8, 2014March 9, 2014 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn Cozies2 Comments

This post started off as a book review for Libba Bray’s Beauty Queens…but then I ended up going into a tirade about our society’s disturbing obsession with beauty and weight loss. Read on if you’d like to join me as I shake my crusty old lady cane at the downward spiral of pop culture in our country!

First off, I must tip my hat to Libba Bray for taking a satirical jab at the media—and how our society is still so accepting of archaic, patriarchal customs like beauty pageants. How these things are still accepted in modern times is beyond me. Now dog shows, I totally support. There’s nothing wrong with judging dogs based on good looks and obedience. But women? Call me crazy, but does it seem fundamentally wrong to anoint an “All-American” woman based almost entirely on how well she can sashay down a runway in sequined evening gown and skimpy swimwear?

In Beauty Queens, the author does a bang-up job showing how the teen castaways were programed by the media (and their equally brainless stage moms) to strive for nothing more than to become the next “Teen Dream.” They were taught to only worry their pretty little heads about being the most beautiful, thinnest shining star at the pageant. I loved watching them evolve from starry-eyed “Teen Dreamers” to survivalist renegades. The longer they were removed from their self-obsessed worlds, the more they were able to see themselves for who they truly were.

Even though this book is about as deep as Wiley Coyote/Roadrunner cartoon, it will get you thinking about everything that’s wrong with the media and corporate greed. I hope it will help teens realize that there’s more to life than what they see on in the mirror.

Admittedly, I’ve spent a good chunk of my life nitpicking my appearance, but now I’m starting to let all that crap go. My first step is to put up my blinders in the checkout aisle. Those magazines that promise us women folk that we can lose 20 pounds in one month can be oh so very tantalizing. Especially when your eyes flit to another magazine cover shaming a slew of celebrities in unflattering bikinis with cellulite dimples on their legs. And right next to that tabloid is a cover of US Weekly depicting “scary skinny” celebs. Too fat! Too skinny! Lose Half Your Body Weight in One Month! Good God, there’s no escaping these anxiety-provoking messages!

Funny how magazines like The Atlantic or The Economist aren’t ripe for the picking at the checkout stands. It’s sad to think that people are more prone to impulse buying a magazine about weight loss and burned-out celebs instead of something more substantial that will challenge their views about the world outside an ULTA store.

And how come we don’t see these weight-obsessed magazines marketed toward men? It’s 2014, people! Women have come a long way, but the media still wants to keep us trapped in the 1950s mindset. Statistics show that more women are getting college degrees than men. They’re running board rooms, bringing home the bacon and frying it in the pan! They’re running for governor and filibustering for women’s rights (thank you, Wendy Davis!), so should we still be worrying about being pretty to find and keep a man? I think not.

So kudos to you, Libba Bray, for giving this issue some much-needed attention—and in a very entertaining way no less! Ya Ya Sistas!

Following Atticus by Tom Ryan

On February 22, 2014February 23, 2014 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn Cozies2 Comments

Oh man, I don’t even know how to even begin describing how much I adore this book. I just want to climb to the top of one of Tom’s beloved mountain peaks with a bullhorn and tell the world to read Following Atticus. It’s that good, people!

This is just a beautiful story about the bond between a man and his dog, and how they both found inner peace in the enchanting New Hampshire Mountains. In defiance of what’s expected of an overweight middle-aged man and a 20-pound dog, they achieved the impossible. Not once, but twice, they conquered all 48 of the great White Mountain peaks in one winter.

I poured through this book in sheer amazement as these two adventurers hiked up and down the majestic mountains in the freezing cold—an amazing feat for even the most elite mountain climbers. They didn’t do it for fame or to break a world record. They did it to pay tribute to fallen cancer victims, and to raise money for charity. But ultimately some higher power—some inexplicable force that only the readers can decipher for themselves—drew them into the wilds.

What I love about this story is how Tom made a complete turnaround after meeting Atticus. A busy newspaper man, he was constantly running around town to get the latest scoop. There was no time for pets, no time for exercise, no time for sitting still. He seemed happy in this lifestyle until a little mini schnauzer came into his life and changed everything.

“In the mountains Atticus became more of what he’d always been, and I became less—less frantic, less stressed, less worried, and less harried. I felt comfortable letting him lead, and he seemed to know what I needed. He always chose the best route, if ever there was a question, and my only job was to follow.”

I can tell you from experience that animals have a way of making us live in the present. Like standing atop a majestic mountain and looking down at nature’s splendor, seeing the world through a dog’s eyes can allow us to take in the bigger picture. All those trivial things—the office pettiness, the family melodrama, the overloaded inbox—seem so insignificant when you can truly understand the broad scheme of things. That’s why this book really hit home. Through Tom’s lyrical prose of the gorgeous mountain scenery, I could feel his day-to-day stress ebb away. I, too, was hit by this feeling while hiking through Rocky Mountain National Park. It’s amazing how our natural surroundings—the scent of fresh evergreens, the rhythmic trickling streams, the rustling of leaves overhead—can instantly put us at ease.

“…It was like stumbling into C.S. Lewis’s magical wardrobe and pushing through the rows of clothes, knowing that there was something thrilling beyond it all. Stepping out of the trees and onto an open ridge or peak was like exiting the back of the wardrobe and entering our own special Narnia. It was a world apart, a world that belonged only to the two of us.”

And sometimes the stillness and solitude of nature can make us confront our own demons. Perhaps that’s why so many of us have to be constantly plugged into those little flat-screen devices. I’ll never forget the intense moment when the eerie winter woods forced Tom to face his darkest fears while hiking alone at night.

“It was eerie and sad, and I found myself falling into a deep malaise where all the warmth in the world had been drained away, and I thought, this must be what death is like—brittle, unyielding, frozen…The higher we climbed, the more ghostlike it felt and the heavier I sank into the night, spiraling deeper into memories that wouldn’t let go of me—the kind that haunt your subconscious, that surface ever so rarely in your dreams and wake you up in a sweat with a breathless gasp.”

There’s so much more to this book than just a feel-good pet story. Tom’s incredible transformation is truly inspiring. His story makes it hard—almost impossible—to question fate and the possibility of soul mates. The next time I climb a mountain top or set foot in a state park, I’ll always remember Tom’s spiritual epiphanies. At that, I’ll leave you with one of my most favorite quotes from the book.

“Magic is where you find it; the only thing that matters is that you take the time to look for it. It can be the wonder in a little dog’s face or the memory of an old man. People continued to ask why I’d taken to hiking alone with Atticus. It was because such thoughts come to me on a climb or at the top or walking through the thick woods on the way down under a golden sun or bright stars. When there was no one to talk to, I found myself in a walking meditation. I was not a religious man, but if I were, the woods would be my church, the mountain tops my alter.”

Short and Sweet Sundays

On February 9, 2014February 9, 2014 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn Cozies5 Comments

Time isn’t on my side this month. With all the networking mixers, marathon training and dog babysitting, my calendar leaves very little time for blogging. It would be a travesty to let these standout books go unnoticed, so here are some short five-star reviews!

Orphan Train by Kristina Baker Kline

I can tell you right now, this is going in my Best Books Read in 2014 list! This is one of those stories that sucks you in and keeps you glued to the pages until the very end. The tragic characters were so real, it felt like I was right there on that train as it trudged its way to the Midwest, hungry, belittled and afraid of the unknown. Even when I wasn’t reading, I found my mind drifting to little orphan Niahm, wondering how she was going to survive her current horrifying foster-home situation. I would also think of Molly’s unlikely friendship with a 91-year-old widow, wondering how they would eventually help each other overcome their hardships and find closure in the end. The author did a fantastic job unfolding both Molly’s and Niahm’s narratives as the chapters jumped from present day to the Great Depression. It was almost impossible setting down the book because I was dying to see their stories converge.

Favorite quote: “So is it just human nature to believe that things happen for a reason – to find some shred of meaning even in the worst experiences?”

Ghoul Interrupted by Victoria Laurie

After reading Orphan Train, I was ready to switch gears and dive into something fun and fluffy. This book was just the ticket! There’s romance, adventure, monsters and zany shenanigans. I really dig this mystery series because it’s somewhat of a Scooby Doo/Ghost Hunters mashup. In each book, MJ and her gang travel to far and distant lands to investigate supernatural happenings for their ghost-hunting TV show. I really love this concept, mainly because I love travel adventures and—of course—ghost hunting shows! This time, they’re hunting down a murderous demon that is stalking and killing Heath’s (MJ’s boyfriend and fellow ghost hunter) family in New Mexico. They uncover all sorts of family secrets and find that there might be some truth to a spooky bedtime story steeped in Native American folklore.

Favorite scene: When MJ and her uber-flamboyant best bud, Gilley, get thrown into a holding cell for trespassing on a Native American reservation. Things go from bad to worse when a fiendish monster with ginormous claws finds them trapped behind bars!

A Fistful of Collars by Spencer Quinn

I so adore these Chet and Bernie mysteries! The stories are told through the eyes of a Chet, a big lug of a dog with distinctive black-and-white markings. He’s Bernie’s co-private investigator and all around best friend. There’s something very beautiful—even eye opening—about the way Chet views the world and his owner. He observes everything that’s going on around him, yet he doesn’t overanalyze or internalize the things he doesn’t understand. When his mind starts wandering into dangerous territory—like why humans can be so cruel to each other—his attention gets diverted by something fun and flighty. He knows who he is and that he absolutely, positively adores Bernie. Oh how I wish that I could have a Chet of my very own! This might sound a little strange, but I mainly read these books because of the dog perspective. The mysteries are just the icing on the cake. This one involves a mixed-up Hollywood actor with lots of skeletons in his closet. When he returns to his hometown in the Nevada desert to shoot a Western movie, Bernie is appointed by the Mayor to watch over him. Trouble inevitably follows, and the dynamic duo is thrust into a tangled web of murder yet again!

Favorite quote: “Anything’s possible with perps, believe me. We’ve taken down lots, me and my partner, Bernie. That’s what we do at the Little Detective Agency. He’s Bernie Little. I’m Chet, plain and simple.”

Musing Mondays: Vampire Academy

On February 3, 2014February 3, 2014 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn Cozies5 Comments

Musing Mondays, a weekly meme hosted by Should be Reading, asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• Describe one of your reading habits.

• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).

• What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it!

• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.

• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!

• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

My Musing:

I’m currently reading Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. I have to confess that I’m only reading this because the movie’s coming out. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a good teeny bopper vampire flick! It’s been a while since I’ve read another Twilightesque book, mainly because the whole vampire/boarding school sub-genre is getting tiresome.

Just 100 pages into the story, I’m already sensing that a love triangle and an epic vampire clan showdown are in the midst. Yes, this series appears to be following the formula, yet the author is shaking it up a bit with some creative twists on the vampire lore. I’m interested to see how things pan out for the main character, Rose, who is getting a lot of one-on-one time with her personal defense-against-the-Strigoi trainer, Dimitri. They’re currently in the love-hate stage, which I’m sure will turn into a forbidden love affair. You see, Rose is at the bottom of the vampire totem pole and is forbidden to canoodle with members of the royal class.

Oh how I love a scandal! Stay tuned for the book/movie review.

“Dance on His Grave” Review & Audiobook Giveaway!

On January 20, 2014January 20, 2014 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn Cozies2 Comments

Well butter my buns and call me a biscuit! Oh how I love Southern mysteries set deep in the heart of the hauntingly beautiful East Texas-Louisiana borderlands. Sylvia Dickey Smith has mastered the art of evoking a sense of dread in her lyrical atmospheric descriptions of the mysterious bayou country. Moody atmosphere, colorful characters, good food and one heck of a strong-willed protagonist are all key ingredients for a quality Southern fiction novel. This author delivers all of these things in spades in her Sidra Smart mysteries. That’s why I put Sidra Smart on the top of my list of favorite Southern detectives—right next to David Robichauex, Hap Collins and Leonard Pine. If you haven’t heard of those other guys, I advise you to Google James Lee Burke and Joe Lansdale immediately!

In this first installment of the Sidra Smart Mystery Series, Sid has emancipated herself from a loveless, sheltered marriage. No longer an obedient preacher’s wife, she’s thrust into a whole new world of independence and opportunity.

She reaches a crossroads when she inherits her dead brother’s PI business. With zero knowledge of how to run a business—let alone solve mysteries—she’s ready to sell it off to the lowest bidder. Yet when her controlling ex-husband tries to push her into doing just that, she decides to slap on her gumshoes out of sheer defiance! And really, that’s what I love about Sidra Smart. She’s bold, brave and ready to take on new adventures, despite the legions of naysayers who will stop at nothing to watch her fail.

Before she’s ready to pick up a copy of “How to Run a PI Business for Dummies,” her first client walks in with a cold case that would stump even Sherlock Holmes. Despite her best interest, Sidra agrees to look into the 30-year-old mystery revolving around two innocent girls caught up in an unimaginable world of horrors. The horror show intensifies as she looks deeper into the case and discovers a tangled web of town secrets, torture and arson. Trust me, once you get to know the villain, you’ll understand the meaning of the book’s title, “Dance on His Grave.”

The plot thickens when Sid finds a connection between the bizarre cold case and her brother’s mysterious car accident. And just with any good thriller, the danger heats up as our heroine gets closer to the truth. Who is sneaking into her home and leaving ominous threats? Is it her ex-husband’s God-fearing disciples, or could it be a demented child-abusing killer? You’ll have to read the book to find out!

With some help from her newfound friend and fellow PI, George Leger, she carries on with the case—even when all hope seems to be lost. She also gets a little help from her meddlesome Aunt Annie, who is always there to help Sid pick up the pieces when the chips are down. I’m especially fond of the Cajun-speaking George, who’s interesting enough to have his own spinoff story.

This is not your typical amateur sleuth mystery, mainly because there are some really weighty issues at the core of the story. Some of the descriptions of are rather dark and disturbing, so this book is not for the squeamish. Filled with punchy dialogue, cliffhanger chapter endings and unspeakable crimes, this book is somewhat of a mash-up of Karin Slaughter meets Gillian Flynn with a Cajun twist. Hard-boiled mystery fans are sure to enjoy this puzzling whodunit.

Enter to Win a Free Audiobook!

I should also mention that the author gave me this book via Audible. The narrator did a fantastic job unfolding the story in a somber tone. Unlike other narrators who drive me bonkers with their rapid-speed chipmunk-on-crack storytelling, she did a stellar job keeping the pace and capturing Sid’s voice. I highly recommend listening to this on audio. In fact, the author has offered to give away a free audiobook. All you have to do is post a comment answering the following question and the winner will be picked at random. Don’t fret if you’re not an Audible member. You can still receive the audiobook without an account.

Who is your favorite thriller author?

Teaser Tuesdays: The Orphan Train

On January 7, 2014January 7, 2014 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn Cozies11 Comments

For this week’s Teaser Tuesday, I’d like to spotlight a rare moment of bliss for little orphan Niham in this heart-wrenching tale of survival and self-discovery. I’m so glad I took a chance on Orphan Train after reading The Fault in Our Stars. That book was a tough act to follow, but I have been just as mesmerized by Niham’s brutal homeward-bound journey as I was by John Green’s epic teenage love story. Stay tuned for the review!

“He clasps Carmine’s legs and twirls, Carmine stretching out his arms and throwing his head back, gazing up at the skylights, shrieking with glee as they turn, and in that moment, for the first time since the fire, my worries are gone. I feel a joy so strong it’s almost painful – a knife’s edge of joy.”

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. What are you reading right now? Care to share a teaser with me?

This Year I Will Make Smart Changes! A Q&A with Cognitive Psychologist Art Markman

On January 1, 2014January 1, 2014 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn Cozies4 Comments

The New Year has reared its ugly head and now it’s time to start jotting down all our ambitious plans to tap into our inner rock stars and become happier, slimmer, richer and more organized! Of course, we can always start anew anytime of the year, but there’s something about January 1^st that evokes a dawn of reckoning. Hey, who am I to judge? I’ve got my own little pink notebook filled a laundry list of lofty ambitions to rock it out in 2014. If it takes the New Year to finally ditch those cancer sticks, or to start volunteering at the local animal shelter – you go with your bad self!

In his brand new book Smart Change, UT Psychology Prof Art Markman will show you the way. I was lucky enough to snag an advance copy (job perk!), so I can tell you that it definitely contains some pearls of wisdom – especially for those who need some help in the self-control department. Read on for more details about the book, which will drop on Jan. 7. If you’re an Austinite, be sure to catch his book signing event at BookPeople on Jan. 9!

Briefly describe Smart Change.

Smart Change starts with the observation that many people want to change their behavior, but few people really know why their brains make them continue to repeat the same behaviors they have had in the past. The more you understand about how the brain motivates you to act, the more effectively you can help yourself to act in new ways. After exploring the motivational mechanisms in the brain, Smart Change presents five sets of tools that you can use to change even the most persistent behaviors.

Why is it so hard to break a bad habit, such as late night snacking in front of the TV?

Your brain is optimized to continue doing what you did last time without having to think about it. So, when you decide you want to change a behavior, you are fighting against millions of years of evolution that have created mechanisms that want you to maintain your behaviors. The hardest part about these behaviors is that they are habits, and so they are done mindlessly. You are often unaware of when and why you are performing the behaviors.

One of the hardest parts about changing a behavior like snacking is that your first reaction is going to be to replace the behavior with nothing (that is, not eating). But, your brain cannot learn to do nothing. So, you need to start the process by trying to replace an existing habit with a new one. If you typically snack while watching TV, maybe you should take up knitting or do a jigsaw puzzle while you watch. That will keep your hands busy.

You provide a free Smart Change journal online, which includes a 14-Day Habit Diary. Could you share some insight into how journaling helps people change their behavior?

Much of what you do on a daily basis is mindless. It is hard to figure out the situations in which you are carrying out the behaviors you want to change until you can become more aware of when and where you are doing them. Spending two weeks just observing your behavior gives you a lot of insight into why you do what you do now. Those insights will be helpful when you start generating a plan to change your behavior.

In this age of instant communication, people often feel the pressure of being “always on.” How can this book help us adjust a balance between technology and our daily lives?

If you feel like one of your habits is to carry your work home with you, then you can use Smart Change to find new habits that will create a separation between work and home. In the book, I talk about how I took up the saxophone as an adult. I had to clear time and space in my life to add a new routine. Thirteen years later, though, my life is richer for it (and I even play in a blues band on Sunday nights).

In addition to productivity and time management, how can this book help people with their personal struggles?

Your motivational system does not care whether the behaviors you are changing are ones you do at work or at home. Your brain helps you live your whole life. The principles you use to help you to be more productive at work are the same ones that engage to give you a meaningful life at home. The book draws on examples of behavior change at work and at home.

In your book, one of the five steps is to engage with people. Why is this important?

Human beings are social creatures. We are wired to adopt the goals of the people around us. If you spend time with people who have the habits you want to develop, it will naturally lead you to adopt the same goals. One important thing you can do is to find a mentor—someone who has the aspects of your life that you want. Then, spend time with that person and get to know how that person succeeds. Use their wisdom to help you make changes in your own life.

Once your readers follow the steps and successfully change their behavior, how can they pay it forward to others?

After you have your own success changing your behavior, it is time to be one of those people in the community who has the life that other people want. When you become a mentor for other people who are trying to change their behavior, it also helps you to recognize aspects of your own behavior that you still want to improve. Being a mentor can give you added motivation to continue to move forward in your own life.

What sets this book apart from other behavior modification self-help books? There are a lot of books out there on habits and behavior change. Some of the books describe how people form habits, but they don’t provide specific tools to help you change. Other books present a model of behavior change that is presented as a one-size-fits-all approach to developing new behaviors.

Smart Change is different, because it roots everything in the science of psychology. The first two chapters help you to understand the aspects of your brain that influence your behavior. Only then do I introduce tools to help you to change your behavior. Each of those tools has an evidence base behind it. In addition, each tool requires some work. It isn’t enough just to read about changing your behavior. You have to be active in your own change. The book comes along with a Smart Change Journal that you can use to take a comprehensive approach to changing behavior.

Finally, the book ends by pointing out that all of the tools that you use to change your own behavior can also be used to influence the behavior of the people around you. Real persuasion does not involve constructing arguments to convince people that a particular course of action is the right one. Instead, it requires the development of a plan that will ultimately change people’s behavior.

A Q&A with “Conspiracy Game” Author Adam Holt

On December 27, 2013December 27, 2013 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn CoziesLeave a comment

I’m pleased to introduce you to an up-and-coming author who has written a book that is out of this world! Literally, the book is set in outer space. If you’re among the legions of syfy/dystopian fans who love books/blockbuster movies like The Hunger Games, Ender’s Game or Divergent, I highly recommend checking out The Conspiracy Game. Adam Holt, the mastermind behind this intergalactic coming-of-age story, was kind enough to answer a few questions about his brand new book. Read on to learn more about the first of many adventures that lie in store for Tully Harper! Be sure to visit his blog for more about the book series.

Tell us about The Conspiracy Game.

The Conspiracy Game recounts the adventure of Tully Harper, a 14-year-old boy who sneaks aboard his dad’s spaceship on a covert mission. Along with his best friends Tabitha and Sunjay, he uncovers The Conspiracy Game, which could be no big deal, or it could change the fate of the solar system. It’s an upbeat, heartfelt space adventure, and the first in a trilogy. I wrote it as a young adult crossover: accessible to teens but with a larger audience in mind.

What made you decide to become an author?

Writing and creating stories always elevated my soul, ever since I was in elementary school. I remember the joy of writing my first novel, entitled Space Vampire. It was two pages long, done on construction paper and Crayola. I show it off sometime. That one isn’t available on Amazon…

Becoming a novelist was different: I’ve written poems and short stories since I was a teen, but those don’t take commitment. Then I dreamed up a novel idea that would not leave me alone. At the time I was teaching middle school English. Writing a novel while grading essays and midterms is a recipe for insanity—for me and for the students, too. I needed to devote myself to being a teacher or a novelist. I left my teaching job and wrote The Conspiracy Game—starting in my condo in Dallas, finishing when I was traveling in Europe, and revising when I made it back to Houston, where I now live. It’s been an eventful year.

What draws you to the realm of deep space?

I was born into the space business. My dad worked in Mission Control during the Apollo missions. He helped send people to the Moon and managed many shuttle missions. That didn’t fascinate me much as a kid for some reason. I never went to Space Camp. He never talked about work when he got home, which I respect. I was too busy to notice his job anyway. I was playing, reading, and ironically, memorizing every line in Star Wars. Over the past decade I’ve gained a good perspective on what human space exploration means for humanity. It’s lead to so many amazing breakthroughs that impact us every day on Earth. So I wanted to write a story that, among other things, showcased that opportunity.

I feel like people are best when they have big things to achieve. That’s certainly true for Tully, Tabitha, and Sunjay. I wanted to remind people that they have enormous challenges and opportunities in front of them. Traveling into space gets us away from our daily concerns and helps us focus on the bigger picture of life. Astronauts talk about that—coming back and feeling more connected to the world around them. So that’s one way to answer: leaving Earth makes us better people.

Secondly, space is captivating. Weightlessness is all kinds of fun for fiction. The cold vacuum of space is all kinds of danger. It’s a place we can explore but only with the mind, for the most part. I think committed readers love to do just that—visit fascinating other worlds, see our own planet from the surface of the Moon. I wanted to bring readers on a short, intense trip into such a world in this first book. Really, it’s also a possible world, where we have colonies on Mars and androids to help us in our daily lives. The second novel, Tully Harper and the Rathmore Chaos, delves deeper into our solar system and the relationships previously formed.

How did the idea for The Conspiracy Game come about?

A toddler inspired me. I went to see the movie Prometheus on opening night by myself, and I was alone in the theater except for two women seated near the screen. They had a seat between them, but I quickly realized the seat wasn’t empty—a little hand popped up and reached for popcorn in one of the women’s laps. Prometheus is a great sci-fi movie, but it’s also part of the Aliens franchise. It’s gory, scary, and my stomach turned when I realized what this child was about to sit through. So I walked down and asked the mother if she knew this was a violent R-rated movie, thinking that they meant to see Brave or Madascar. She smiled at me and said, “Oh, yes, my daughter just loves scary movies!” I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t watch the movie with that little hand reaching for popcorn in the corner of my eye. I thought about how this child was about to see some magical and gruesome images that her mind couldn’t yet understand. It was at that point that I made up my mind to write a space exploration book, one that captured the wonder of space travel but that this young girl could one day enjoy. So the book was inspired by hope and fear, two potent emotions, and the ones which drive Tully Harper into space as well.

I’m intrigued by Tully Harper’s sidekick, Tabitha, who bears some similarities to Hermione Granger. Could you briefly describe this character?

Oh, definitely! I wanted my readers to find people like themselves swept up in the action of this novel, and I know not all of them would naturally relate to Tully, a 14-year-old only child. Tabitha Tirelli is less like a sidekick and more like Tully’s teammate. She keeps Tully and Sunjay focused on the right problems throughout their adventure. She is the wise counselor that Tully needs if he’s going to survive in space…and he’s not quite sure, but he might be falling for her, too. Tabitha is always so busy with local theater that they don’t spend much time together except in the summers when she has time for him…and for Cave-In!, their favorite video game.

The problem is that Tully holds some crucial things back from Tabitha at times. He has his reasons for hiding things from her, but she is intuitive. She can sense that something is wrong. I was pleased with how this played out once they get into space. So she’s a resourceful, divergent thinker, and she tackles problems in ways Tully never considers. That’s the beauty of friendship, isn’t it? It’s Tabitha’s beauty. My editors helped me mold this character into a tough, capable young woman. Oh, and Tabitha also likes vintage clothing from the early 2020’s. The book is set in 2069, so the 2020s are retro-chic by then. Anyway, she has a vintage scarf that changes colors with her moods. It’s Tully’s (and the readers’) window into her thoughts sometime.

Of all the characters in the book, which one would you like to spend an afternoon with and why?

Maybe Queen Envy. She’s a pop diva who is on board the Adversity to record the first album in space. She’s also there to disguise this mission as just a routine trip to the Moon, which it is not. Tully and Tabitha think she is ridiculous, but there’s more to her than meets the eye. If I could have a few minutes with Tabitha, that would be awesome, too. She could tell me things about Tully that I don’t know.

How can teens – and even adults – identify with some of the challenges Tully is experiencing?

Tully may be sneaking into space, but his motivations for doing so are real. He is an only child from a single-parent home. He is petrified of losing his father, but also brave enough to help him on a dangerous mission. I think that’s momentous—those moments when we’re struggling to put others first. Tully makes that transition—from fearful child to brave son. If you’ve seen or read Les Miserables—my favorite novel—remember when little Gavroche helps with the student uprising? He has an innocent bravery that I’ve always admired, and I hope Tully has a bit of Gavroche in him.

Of course, life isn’t always full of nation-inspiring moments. It can’t be. People are too quirky and unpredictable, and Tully is a teenager. He’s stumbling upon love for the first time. That’s fun and funny. He’s also figuring out that he can trust some adults, and others he can’t. How to navigate love and friendship is a universal struggle. I think readers will find Tully right in the middle of life changes that are familiar, either at sharp and present or as a distant, muddy memory.

What do you hope your readers will get out of this book?

What a reader takes from a book often has more to do with what they bring to the book—what hopes and fears and doubts. I hope they’ll see in Tully someone who is determined to live life to the fullest. There’s this great thing that Jesus once said: “I came that they might have life, and have it to the full.” I hope they’ll see in my characters people that are striving for lives full of love and accomplishment—and they’ll see those that oppose his efforts, too.

What I hope they will get is this: take risks in life, let the chips fall where they will, and be satisfied with the results. For Tully, that’s going into space to follow his dad. He hears a voice in a vision one night: “Go, and do not delay.” He follows that voice. I hope that phrase resonates with readers. What must they do with their “one wild and precious life?” as Mary Oliver wrote. It’s different for every person, but to be the people we could become, we have to step out and do things that take bravery.

What’s next for Tully Harper in the second installment of the trilogy?

The Rathmore Chaos. There are hints at the end of the book about this, and Google can help uncover the mystery of the name. I’ll just say that, by the end, both Tully and his enemies have lost some valuable people and things, and The Rathmore Chaos will give them a chance to win back their losses. It’s much more an action book than a thriller. You now know the characters and motives—or think you do. So the pace picks up.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Sure. I’ve received great feedback on the novel so far, and I’m nothing but grateful for that. For readers that like the book, I ask them to spread the word about The Conspiracy Game: email a friend, suggest it for a book club, like the Facebook page. There are some great self-published novelists out there, and all of them rely on readers as their best promoters. Since this is my debut novel, that goes double for me. I love to correspond with fans and other writers, so look me up on Twitter (@adamholtwrites).

The Clue is in the Pudding by Kate Kingsbury

On December 24, 2013 By Bubble Bubble Books and TroubleIn CoziesLeave a comment

It isn’t Christmas without a Kate Kingsbury mystery! And at the Pennyfoot Hotel, the holiday shenanigans don’t begin until someone gets bludgeoned with a nutcracker or incinerated by a flaming Christmas tree. Nestled in a quaint little coastal English hamlet, the Pennyfoot may look like something straight out of Dickens’ Village, but if you plan to spend the holidays there, you’re goose might just get cooked!

When the guests start streaming into the hotel for the Christmas holidays, Cecily Sinclair Baxter worries about the inevitable Christmas curse. Like clockwork, her loyal crew of housemaids will stumble upon a dead body, and she will have to take it upon herself to hunt down the murderer.

You see, in this tranquil seaside village, the police force leaves much to be desired. Oh and you can forget about her milquetoast of a husband helping her out. While she’s out in snowstorms chasing down murderous fiends, he’d much prefer to settle down by the fireplace with his newspaper. For once, I would love to see him take the initiative and tag-team these murder mysteries with his wife instead of constantly lecturing her to stay out of harm’s way. Hello! The cops are useless, so do you prefer to be a sitting duck?

Wow, that was quite the tirade. Sorry, Kate. I love your mysteries, I really do. But can you please make Baxter man up in the next book? Aside from my minor gripes, these mysteries are perfect holiday reads. There’s nothing I’d rather do on a cold winter’s night than nestle down into my comfy couch with some fireball whiskey, a tubby gray housecat and a Pennyfoot Hotel mystery. The author does a fine job unraveling just bits and pieces about the eclectic cast of hotel staff and dangling that carrot as their love stories develop. In this book, I finally got to see some sparks fly between Gertie and the enigmatic groundskeeper, Clyde. I promise to not give anything away, but I will say that there was a moment between them that was so incredibly sweet, I had to re-read it several times!

So this year, the Christmas curse comes in the form of a dead actor named Archibald Armitage. Seriously, what mother would name her kid Archibald? Well, I guess you could nickname him Archie like that cute freckled redhead dude in the comics…but I digress. So when the maid stumbles upon Archie’s dead body, it appears he was poisoned by a lethal dose of arsenic-laced plum pudding. All eyes point to the temporary head housemaid Beatrice Tucker (aka Tucker the Terrible), who personally served him the plum pudding up in his suite. She may be a tyrant, but is she capable of murder?

As Cecily hunts down the clues, she finds that several houseguests – and even some of her staff – have a beef with Archie. While her staff prepare for the holiday festivities, and her husband continues to sit on his ass with the newspaper, she will stop at nothing to ferret out the killer before he (or she?) strikes again.

I raise my mug of spiked cider to the author for delivering a deliciously atmospheric Christmas mystery filled with loveable characters, red herrings and romance! I look forward to meeting up with my old friends at the Pennyfoot next December.

Merry Christmas to all – and be sure to not accept unsolicited puddings from frienemies.