The last six weeks or so have been packed with activities. In writing, I am finishing up the last of five appearances this Saturday, blogging and working on three books, to varying degrees, preparing Blue Bells of Scotland for expanded distribution in several venues and a book awards submission, and reviewing books for other authors. I’m also keeping up with my music studio and my children’s activities– the Christmas program season is on us, so there have been and are, choir and band concerts for my children, and my music students’ recital coming up! I’m really enjoying the concerts, have seen some wonderful playing, and am thrilled to have my advanced students playing some jazz arrangements of Christmas carols.
But it means I have been shamefully remiss and dropped a few things I’m juggling. So, first, my apologies to Jennifer for the delay, and second, my thanks to Jennifer for her review at her book blog, Rundpinne. Jennifer keeps a very active blog covering a variety of genres in both fiction and non-fiction. Recent reviews include cookbooks, a book on digital photography, a memoir on dealing with a child’s illness, and a novel that delves deep into two women’s decisions about pregnancies. (This is from another Minnesota author, Joy DeKok, whose website I will definitely be visiting.) Jennifer’s blog is well worth following if you love reading.
Jennnifer posted her review of my book on December 4, giving it 5 coffee cups (equivalent to stars, of course!)
Some excerpts from her review:
“The story line sounded promising and Laura Vosika does not disappoint….
A delightfully intricate tale of time travel, life lessons, challenges of faith, and redemption….
I found the story moving, witty, and captivating. This was indeed a page-turner and I look forward to finishing the trilogy. I highly recommend this novel to anyone. It makes for a fantastic read and would make an excellent gift.”
Now seems like a perfect time to add a comment on the characters to whom people are drawn, and why. Jennifer says in her blog that she is more drawn to Niall, because he actually cares what happens to people, and thinks through the effects of his own actions on others. Among the members of my writing group, Night Writers, there are those who prefer Niall– because he’s a better man, because he’s all we hope for in a man or hope our sons would grow up to be– and those who prefer Shawn.
Why would someone prefer a self-centered, drunken, gambling womanizer? One member of my group said, tongue in cheek, because he’s taking notes on Shawn’s methods! A member of the audience at Tuesday night’s talk also brought this issue up, noting how Shawn got all of the attention that night. She thinks it is partly because rogues fascinate us, as they get into all sorts of scrapes we would never dream of. They live lives that sound fun, exciting and daring, but which our own better natures and common sense prevent us from emulating. We live vicariously and safely through literature’s rogues. And partly, Robin said, we love rogues because we can look at someone like Shawn and feel better about ourselves, seeing we’re really pretty decent people after all, in comparison. I think she made a good point about human nature.
I enjoy hearing people’s views on whom they prefer and why, in part because I’m pleased to find I’m conveying exactly what I’d hoped to!
