Links and Other Publishing Information of Note

This is a neat link I got from Vanessa Di Gregorio at Let the Words Flow. If you're looking farther afield for authors to read and/or compare your work to, this Lit map is a God-send. Check it out and get your library card or Borders/Barnes&Nobel membership cards out. You'll need them.

In other news: Scholastic has hired Duriya Aziz as vp, educational publishing, international group, reporting to Shane Armstrong, president, Scholastic international and growth markets. Aziz was at educational publisher Marshall Cavendish International (Singapore). Based in Singapore, she will be "responsible for building a publishing team to develop and adapt existing product for international markets, with a particular focus on the Southeast Asian region" along with directing the publishing operations at Scholastic India.

The Sandalwood Tree by Elle Newmark

Synopsis:

A sweeping novel that brings to life two love stories, ninety years apart, set against the rich backdrop of war-torn India.

In 1947, American historian and veteran of WWII, Martin Mitchell, wins a Fulbright Fellowship to document the end of British rule in India. His wife, Evie, convinces him to take her and their young son along, hoping a shared adventure will mend their marriage, which has been strained by war.

But other places, other wars. Martin and Evie find themselves stranded in a colonial bungalow in the Himalayas due to violence surrounding the partition of India between Hindus and Muslims. In that house, hidden behind a brick wall, Evie discovers a packet of old letters, which tell a strange and compelling story of love and war involving two young Englishwomen who lived in the same house in 1857.

Drawn to their story, Evie embarks on a mission to piece together her Victorian mystery. Her search leads her through the bazaars and temples of India as well as the dying society of the British Raj. Along the way, Martin’s dark secret is exposed, unleashing a new wedge between Evie and him. As India struggles toward Independence, Evie struggles to save her marriage, pursuing her Victorian ghosts for answers.

Bursting with lavish detail and vivid imagery of Calcutta and beyond, The Sandalwood Tree is a powerful story about betrayal, forgiveness, fate, and love.

The Sandalwood Tree by Elle Newmark is the interweaving of two poignant stories set in two of India’s most turbulent periods – the Sepoy Rebellion in 1857 and Partition in 1947.

The novel alternates back and forth between the two stories flawlessly. Using rich, descriptive prose, the author truly recreates the resonances and aromas of daily Indian culture. There is a pervading exoticism throughout that touches the reader’s senses. I especially enjoyed the mystery surrounding the hidden letters and the path of discovery the heroine ventured upon to learn the full story of Adela and Felicity nearly one hundred years prior.

This novel had all the hallmarks of a great story – mystery, conflict, and a fascinating historical period. Add to that some heart-wrenching scenes and a nicely complex plot, and you’ll find yourself reading long into the night with this novel. For an easy to read, enjoyable novel about some basic facts in Indian history, this is definitely one to read!

This review was written by Mirella Patzer at the Historical Novel Review site and is reprinted here with her permission.

What Makes a Book Good

Today's post is brought to you on behalf of book review responsibilities. I've signed up to read several books for review and I've had one of them on my nightstand, reading a chapter a night for about a month. Or at least that's what I shot for. Imagine my shock when I realized I was not even halfway through a comparatively short book! I'm afraid I find all sorts of reasons not to read it before I go to bed. It's too late, I'm tired, I have to get up early in the morning and write my own stories. The real reason is, the book has endless chapters where nothing happens. This was brought home to me last week when I picked up a different review book to take with me while I'm on errands. This second book, "Hidden Voices," (if you're interested in music or Renaissance Italy, take a look at it. I will have a full review up within a week at Historical Novel Review, but not here because of the setting) is a joy to read. The characters are so well done and the author clearly knows Venice and music. So I'm faced with the juxtaposition of these books and I know why I dislike one and have devoured the other. But I enjoy other books for different reasons, which does lead to this week's question:

What are must-have points for you in a good book? One of my best friends and I discussed this a while back. For one of us, setting was important, but another wanted stronger characterization. I wanted some sort of plot if either one of these weren't a strong-point, but she didn't care. For me to love a book, I need to identify with or admire the characters and be lifted up emotionally by them. So what draws you in?

I Have a Confession

Lord, forgive me for writer's block. Or whatever you want to call it.

Have you ever been at a place where you have loads of ideas and no interest in doing any of them? I've been there since I came back from Crested Butte last year. I just keep rewriting, editing previous works. Submitting them. And not moving forward.

I'm not sure if I need new stimulation. I cleaned all day yesterday, which hardly made a dent in the house, to be honest, but cleaning has helped in the past. At least I have my workstation for the first time in a year. If I'd gone for a walk this morning, maybe with a notebook, that might have helped, but I'm still in my housecoat and the kidlit will be up any minute wanting breakfast. Can you tell I'm just spinning my wheels? My hubby complained over the weekend that I spend too much time at the computer and he's right. But what have I accomplished? I think perhaps that's what has me paralyzed. The question of whether or not what you're doing has any importance, value, or relevancy is agonizing.

Maybe I'll wade through some more of my mountain of email. Enter a contest. Maybe I'll make cookies. Or weave a basket underwater while listening to Beethoven and thinking of other useless activities. Do you ever get to this place? What do you do?

Good Guy Vs. Good Guy

"I'm a good guy, but I'm a bad guy for them." These words of wisdom came out of my five-year-old's mouth this morning while I blog surfed. She's talking with her Lego people and has no idea what a profound a statement she's made, but she always makes me stop, smile and think.

This time, I'm thinking because this is precisely the setup for the next set of stories I have in mind. I have an antagonist, but he's not a traditional villain, (though he does some things that make me cringe). He's a product of his culture and will protect that culture no matter the cost. So will my heroine. The challenge is how they each want to work their protection. This is a wide difference from my current ms, in which the villain is much more villainous and not that sympathetic until the end when it's too late for him.

My question for you is, how do you treat your antagonists? When you read, what do you prefer? Do you like the more straight forward villainy or rooting for the antagonist with a heart? Do you think it depends on the story? Okay, that's many more than one question. LOL I can't help it, I'm curious. ;D

Opportunities

I've had some things pile up in my inbox that I wanted to post, so here goes:

My apologies to Paula Kaymac. I told her I'd mention this and then I hit a deluge of things I needed to respond to. Paula has offered to interview the unpublished through her Writer's Spotlight page. What's a spotlight page?I'll let her describe it:


If you would like to step into the Writer Spotlight, are an unpublished writer looking for representation, and have a completed and polished manuscript you'ld like to share on Writer Spotlight , please check out the details on the Writer Spotlight page above and email me (like now). 

If you write juvenile lit, you really do need to check it out. Here are the rules.

A Canadien SF/Fantasy contest is happening for one more day - the deadline's tomorrow. (Yes, I know. I didn't know about it, either.) But check out In Places Between. If nothing else, they have an awesome short story linked to the contest that you should read. The contest is free.

I know these last two bits are local Kansas City area things and my apologies to the rest of my readers if you can't make it!


Please plan to attend the Whispering Prairie Press Writers Conference on Sat., July 23, 2011, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (lunch on your own) at the KU Edwards Campus, 12600 Quivira Road. Tom Averill will be the keynote speaker. This conference supports the 2011 issue of Kansas City Voices.


There's a Digital Publishing Workshop at the Writer's Place (in Kansas City) in mid-May and is $30 for 3 hours. If anyone's considering this route, you might want to check it out. Check it out here, but please be aware I have not read his book and have never met the author, so I'm neither recommending or condemning his book. However, it's obvious he's been through the route he's talking about and therefore has something to say. 

And The Winner Is...

Thanks so much to everyone who entered to win a copy of The Lion of Cairo! I know I promised the drawing would be yesterday. I had intended to do it last night, but got so swamped it got away from me. My apologies!


So, without further ado, the winner is... Natalie Aguirre!  


Natalie , please contact me privately and let me know your address so I can ship you a copy of this book.