Tag Archives: fiction

Author Interview — Michaela Riley

Yesterday I reviewed a book entitled “Embittered Justice.” Today we are joined by the author of that book, Michaela Riley. Michaela, thank you for being here with us today. Your new book “Embittered Justice” is the story of a woman who is put on trial for something she did not do. How did you arrive at the idea for this plot, and how did you tap into those feelings of betrayal? Writing my first book “Embittered Justice” was what some would call a labor of love. Inspiration for the book started when I had the personal misfortune of spending time … Continue reading →

Embittered Justice – Michaela Riley

It was a house purchase gone horribly wrong. When Jennifer Campbell decided to move to Norfolk, Virginia, she arranged to move in to what she believed would be the perfect house for her. She had plans for her new life in the community and was excited to enter this phase of her life. However, when she arrived in Norfolk ready to move in, she discovered that Mr. and Mrs. Wilson weren’t ready to leave. In fact, they hadn’t even packed. An older couple, they didn’t appear to understand why she was so upset. She’d just traveled for hours to get … Continue reading →

My Name is Russell Fink – Michael Snyder

I stayed up far too late on Saturday night finishing “My Name is Russell Fink,” and I really enjoyed it. It’s written in a clever, conversational tone – think chick lit, only from a guy’s perspective and not so obsessed with shoes. Our main character, as you’ve probably guessed, is named Russell Fink and he’s a salesman for an office supply company. He’s not a good salesman—he hardly ever puts in a full day’s work and he takes frequent sick days to visit the doctor for pretend maladies—but his boss will never fire him. It seems that several years ago, … Continue reading →

Jennie – Susan Evans McCloud

“Jennie” is the story of a young woman who goes to work as a nanny in the town of Concord. As an aspiring writer, Jennie is entranced by walking the same streets as Louisa May Alcott, Thoreau, and Emerson. She enjoys the children in her care, but doesn’t so much enjoy their parents, who are obsessed with work and their position in society. As she looks for friendship in her new town, she meets the delightful Cornelia, who regales her with stories of a bygone era and quickly becomes a good friend. When Cornelia’s grandson Nigel comes for a visit, … Continue reading →

Interview with the YA and Speculative Fiction Diva Lisa Mantchev

Many of my writer friends have been gracious enough to agree to an interview here about their pets, families, and lives. In case you missed it, my first target was Jay Lake and my second target was Jim C. Hines. Next up is the divine Miz Lisa Mantchev. I had the pleasure of attending a writing retreat with her last spring and she is absolutely a fun, funny, wonderful person. It just so happens that she’s also a phenomenal writer with her first novel (of a trilogy) coming out in 2009. Aimee: What kind of things do you write about? … Continue reading →

Bullies in the Headlights – Matthew Buckley

“Bullies in the Headlights” is the sequel to Matthew Buckley’s first LDS comedy novel, “Chickens in the Headlights.” “Bullies” doesn’t have much to do with chickens, although they are mentioned briefly at the beginning of the book. Rather, this time around we’re following the Buckley boys as they team up against the Hagbarts, a family of noisy, obnoxious, mean kids who reminded me somewhat of the Herdsmans from “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” Matthew is, of course, the main character. He wakes up with dread on his first day of school, recalling how, at the end of the school year, … Continue reading →

A Wizard Named Nell – Jackie French Koller

“A Wizard Named Nell” is the first book in a series entitled “The Keepers,” which is fantasy geared toward the intermediate reading level. My daughter took one look at it and clamored to be next to read it, and I’ll have no problem at all letting her. It’s a fun adventure with just enough peril, but not too much. Many hundreds of years ago, two wizard brothers fought for control of the land. The good wizard, desperate for his evil brother to be conquered, put himself and all his magic in a scepter that shone more brightly than the sun. … Continue reading →

A Perfect Day – Richard Paul Evans

“A Perfect Day” by Richard Paul Evans was a little bit hard for me to get into at first, but after the first chapter, I was sucked into the story. Robert Harlan sells advertising space for a radio station, and is deeply in love with his wife Allyson and his daughter, Carson. Carson was named after Allyson’s father, who died shortly before she married Robert. The death was quick, brought about by a cancer that Allyson didn’t know existed until her father called her to come back home from college to spend one last, perfect day with him. Years later, … Continue reading →

The Poisonwood Bible – Barbara Kingsolver

I’ve seen this book reviewed in scads of places and heard people talking about it, so I wanted to read it for myself and see if it measured up (in my estimation) to all the press it’s been getting. The book takes place in the 1960s. Nathan Price is a preacher who feels called to go to the Belgian Congo to teach Christianity to the natives. He takes along his wife, Orleanna, and their four daughters: Rachel, Leah, Adah, and Ruth May. They can only take the barest of necessities, but they hardly know what those necessities might be, having … Continue reading →

The Green Glass Sea – Ellen Klages

I’ve researched the atomic bomb from many different angles, but never from this one. “The Green Glass Sea” is told from the perspective of the children who live in Los Alamos, whose parents are the scientists who built the bomb. Dewey Kerrigan is nearly eleven when she comes to Los Alamos. Her father has been away working for the Army for years, and her mother abandoned them when Dewey was just a baby, so Dewey has been living with her grandmother. But when her grandmother has a stroke, Dewey comes to live with her father on The Hill, as Los … Continue reading →