Acquired Book By: My path crossed with Ms. Vérant during the blog tour for her memoir “Seven Letters from Paris”, and even before the blog tour began, we were communicating with each other via Twitter. She reached out to me to ask if I would be interested in reviewing the novel, after I had extended the offer to host a Book Spotlight as I was not sure if the book was available to review. I received a complimentary copy of “King of the Mutants” direct from the publisher Month9Books in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
On how I know Ms. Vérant: Our paths were brought together through her debut release “Seven Letters from Paris” as from the moment I found her book on tour with France Book Tours, I knew I wanted to get to know the writer behind the memoir a bit better. I host a weekly chat on Saturdays called #ChocLitSaturdays | @ChocLitSaturday, and I invited her to join us as time would allow her to do so. I knew anyone who was bold enough to write a memoir about her real-life romance could appreciate the lively chatter we exchange! Meanwhile, we started to converse via Twitter privately as well without meeting up on #ChocLitSaturdays. I have appreciated her friendship and following her journey as an author whose career is instantaneous dual in focus between non-fiction and middle grade!
I am disclosing this, to assure you that I can formulate an honest opinion, even though I have interacted with her ahead of reviewing her books. I treat each book as a ‘new experience’, whether I personally know the author OR whether I am reading a book by them for the first time.
My keen interest in Middle Grade fiction & Indie Pub releases:
I have been on a road back into Children’s Lit since 2009, when a new branch of a local library inspired me to not only seek out the new releases I would want to read as an adult, but the authors of whom were not even published whilst I was growing up within the realm of Children’s Literature. My inspiration backwards in time to the stories of innocence and stories of heart-warming coming-of age were directly due to my nieces and nephews; of whom were still a bit young to soak inside Juvenile Fiction, Middle Grade, or even Young Adult novels — I wanted to reach out to them when they were of age and recommend new choices as much as give them a few from my own childhood.
What I discovered was this incredible expanse of stories who had within them characters of every walk of life and a captivating arc of discovery for the young readers who would find them to read. I have always appreciated stories which seek to teach life lessons as much as to draw a line of empathy out of the readers who are still growing themselves at the times where these kinds of stories are needed most in their lives. I always celebrated stories that perhaps might have been a bit more unique and different from the regular faire, as they too, had something brilliant to offer me. By brilliant, here I refer to the fact that I was always the reader who was seeking out experiences through the joy of reading. I wanted to be challenged a bit, as that extended to gravitate towards stories outside my comfort zones and outside what I might have felt inclined at first to read. The beauty of reading is the exchanging of ‘hats’ and the experiences that are gained through walking inside a character’s shoes who ends up transforming your perspective.
Now that I have opened the door to Children’s Lit, I daresay, even if the selections I make do not interest my nieces and nephews; I can honestly say I have a newfound passion for this branch of the literary divide! I cannot read the books fast enough nor discover their writers as quickly as my heart desires to read what is being published! What wicked fun then, to find a new Indie Publisher who is giving all of us something to talk about through their published works! My heart will always be tied to the Indies, and I celebrate the fact I am now reading Indie Children’s Lit! Read More
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Marcia DeSanctis to my blog as I continue to seek out writers who are introducing me to France who embody such a beautifully built-in passion for a country of whom winks at me from my ancestral past! I have started to notice a growing trend to where I am leaning more towards non-fictional accounts over fictional stories to help me hinge myself directly into the viaduct of French culture, history, and sensory delights translating straight off the page and into my mind’s eye.
It is not enough to simply devour stories set in a country you have grown to appreciate and hanker for a more intra-personal connection. You have to find a way to breathe in the essence of the country by any means you can. I still remember quite fondly my accidental discovery of a French compilation disc of musical artists who only produced their music in French.
I was wandering around a kitchen & home economics shoppe, whilst enjoying the lovely goodies being given out at a spontaneous tasting as I wandered around with a mind lit alive the with possibilities of which gadgets, gizmo’s, and modern upscaled appliances might whet an interest in my sous chef head of dreams. I tend to lean towards the fundamental pieces you will find in a chef’s kitchen; the ones bent on cooking and baking such sensuous delights that the aroma from the kitchen itself creates an experience.
I find the same can be true by discovering authors such as DeSanctis who do not merely give us a travelogue to absorb, but a transcendence of a state of mind, scope of scale, and a tangible grace towards visiting a place our feet cannot yet tread. She pulls you into the country, but it is more than that, she draws you into the heart of the people and the way in which France translates to the human heart.
Book Synopsis:
Told in a series of stylish, original essays, 100 Places in France Every Woman Should Go is for the serious Francophile, for the woman dreaming of a trip to Paris, and for those who love crisp stories well-told. Like all great travel writing, this volume goes beyond the guidebook and offers insight not only about where to go but why to go there. Combining advice, memoir and meditations on the glories of traveling through France, this book is the must-have in your carry-on when flying to Paris.
Award-winning writer Marcia DeSanctis draws on years of travels and living in France to lead you through vineyards, architectural treasures, fabled gardens and contemplative hikes from Biarritz to Deauville, Antibes to the French Alps. These 100 entries capture art, history, food, fresh air and style and along the way, she tells the stories of fascinating women who changed the country’s destiny. Ride a white horse in the Camargue, find Paris’ hidden museums, try thalassotherapy in St. Malo, and buy raspberries at Nice’s Cour Saleya market. From sexy to literary, spiritual to simply gorgeous, 100 Places in France Every Woman Should Go is an indispensable companion for the smart and curious traveler to France.
You mentioned on your blog that narrowing the list down to 100 Places in total set your world out of orbit a bit, as you were constantly questioning your motives after interacting with people who were critical of not having a particular location included. At the end of the day, isn’t the book the 100 Places you’d want us to see and in effect see the beauty of the moment of what that particular place gave to you? How did you creatively find a solution to respond when someone comes up to you even now, and questions an exclusion? How do you explain the purpose without losing the person’s attention?
DeSanctis responds: Good question! There is nothing scientific about a list, whether it’s People Magazine’s Most Beautiful, or somebody else’s 100 best rock songs of all time. But we do love them – they can clarify our thinking, help shed our doubts or reinforce our own opinions. No one wants to be dictated to, but in the case of travel it can also be a relief when someone else edits a bit, makes those tough decisions for you. I canvassed friends who know and love France, too, and interviewed over 100 people for their opinions. Each of them added something, from a glimmer of an idea to profound insight, like the scientist I interviewed about the influence Marie Curie had on her.
There are many people who know France better than I do, and they would probably come up with a different 100. It came down to a couple of sub-criteria – is there a story of a great woman that could build a frame around this place? Is it so beautiful that we forget ourselves and our hearts stop? Is it somewhere that has a powerful memory for me, like St. Tropez, a place that is somehow eternal – and gorgeous and deeply, poetically French? Or is it something so iconic that it had to be included – something like shopping for lingerie or perfume in Paris? I tried to avoid cliché in writing this book, but France has a strong identity that can, in the best way, force itself upon you when you are there. You can’t avoid champagne, café crème, chocolate and moonlight walks along the Seine. And nor should you.
But yes, everything in the book was mulled over – agonized over, really. I’m delighted, actually, when people challenge me. What about Chartres? What about Montpellier? How could you not mention Musée Chagall? That’s a common one, and I totally understand because it IS spectacular. Chagall is included in the chapter about Joan of Arc, but not in the chapter about Nice, where the museum is located. I wanted to include my own familiar places, rather than a compendium of everything to see there. By nature, lists leave a lot of great things out. And therefore makes for spirited discussion. Read More
Published By: Wanderlust Publishing Official Author Websites:Site | Blog | @AuthorCAGray | Facebook | GoodReads Available Formats: Trade Paperback, E-book
Acquired Book By: I worked with Ms. Bauer (of Royal Social Media) whilst hosting Ms. Krupa (author of the debut novel “Safe & Sound”) and I always left the door open to work with her again as hosting T.S. Krupa was quite lovely and I considered myself blessed to be able to cross paths with both Ms. Bauer and Ms. Krupa at the same time. A writer I am highlighting in November Glynis Astie also shares a connection to Ms. Bauer (as she is her publicist) but this time around, Ms. Bauer approached me to host Ms. Gray and her Young Adult Fantasy series Piercing the Veil. I immediately fell in love with the series premise and the layering effect of the story overall out of the vision Ms. Gray had for her series. Therefore I received a complimentary copy of “Intangible” direct from the author C.A. Gray in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Inspired to Read:
To be honest, I couldn’t even put into words how excited I was to read this particular book series, as I simply had a hitching of excitement inside me that I might have stumbled across a writer who gave us such a fully realised world to devour that being able to read it for review was not just a blessing but an honour! I soaked inside all the materials the Press Kit afforded me the option of absorbing; which happily the author provides on her website (one of the few recently that have taken me at ‘hallo’ and made me feel grateful some writers go the extra mile!) to the brink that I simply felt this telling sense of ‘yes!’ I need to read this book series! I just had a sense that I would not only become happily entombed inside the series as a whole but that it would be a collection of novels I would not want to put down anytime soon!
The elemental grounding of science intersecting with the legend and lore of King Arthur with a firm rooting of quantum physics as a back-story and underlay of the context overall? Who wouldn’t want to read this book series!? No, seriously! Who?! I responded with such haste, I think Ms. Bauer might have wondered if I had borrowed a TARDIS or a transporter device to query back my intent! Laughs with mirth.
Intangible
Peter Stewart grew up on a unique version of the Arthurian legends taught him by his father, a harebrained quantum physicist who asserts that anything is possible. But Peter disbelieves anything which cannot be scientifically explained, despite a nagging sense that there is more to the world than meets the eye.
Lily Portman is an orphan with a secret: she can see creatures that are invisible to everyone else. These creatures control every human being she has ever met to varying degrees... until she meets Peter and his father.
When a mysterious stranger stages an accident which nearly costs Peter and Lily their lives, suddenly Lily learns that she is not crazy after all, and Peter discovers the truth of his father’s stories… including the existence of Arthur’s ancient nemesis, one who calls himself the Shadow Lord, and a prophecy with implications so profound that it will alter not only the course of their lives, but potentially the fate of the world.
C.A. Gray is a Naturopathic Medical Doctor (NMD), with a primary care practice in Tucson, AZ. She has always been captivated by the power of a good story, fictional or otherwise, which is probably why she loves holistic medicine: a patient’s physical health is invariably intertwined with his or her life story, and she believes that the one can only be understood in context with the other.
She still wants to be everything when she grows up. She moonlights as a college chemistry teacher (she has a degree in biochemistry, with minors in Spanish and Creative Writing), does theater when she gets the chance, sings, plays piano, was once a personal trainer and in coffee shop management. She is blessed with exceptionally supportive family and friends, and thanks God for them every single day!
Introducing Peter and Lily:
Characters who transcend their sixth sense sensibility
Peter is living a path outside the realm of his peers because his father took a keen interest in his education at a young age, and endowed him with the ability to learn at a rate that was highly fused to his son’s interests rather than limited to what his level of education would be dictated at a scale of his accent in age. Peter became aware of things that others were not clued into simply because his sense of reality and the sense of his environment as a whole, was altered out of the scope of where his classmates put their perceptional lens. Where they wanted to focus on the routine of the hours within the structure of where they were attending school, Peter was looking at the world from different angles and from a perspective of science bent back into the folds of reality itself. His mind was electrically charged and fundamentally curious about the process of things and the more he was curious about how things worked, the more he wanted to experiment to drive the hypothetical theories out of thought and into a foundation of evidence, for which his mind could lay a baseline of support against what is purported and what is true. The tricky part for Peter is accepting that not everything can be explained by science because he forgot the greatest key we’re all given is our imagination.
Lily finds the patience to live within the spectrum of ordinary hours a bit of a daunting tug of will against what she already knows as truth; her sensibility of awareness is locked within the unseen and yet she is altogether fascinating at how she purports what she understands back into the everyday fold of a regular day. She likes to be a bit organised in her being, even if who she is has never truly been accepted by anyone who has known her as she tends to stand out a bit from her peers. She has a quiet confidence that has not fully blossomed into acceptance but she’s been struggling to overcome not only the loss of her parents but the manner in which she was saved the night they died. Lily believes with an innocent heart and a mind willing to suspend the laws of reported science.
Both Peter and Lily are two extraordinary characters who take you on this journey, giving you the pleasure of tagging along on this adventure that you did not realise you even wanted to become a part of. Their story is on the verge of being known and understood, but along the way, they each start to learn more about each other, their place in the universe, and how all the interlocking pieces of time, reality, and our living hours collide into each other in a mosaic of ordered harmony. They each have a sixth sense sensibility but it is the process of how they develop their intuitive confidence in that vein of sensitivity that leads to an absorbing read!
Dr. Jeykll & Mr. Hyde (1941) Original Film Trailer starring Spencer Tracy via TCM
The uncanny part of watching Tracy in this role is how well he absorbed himself into the role itself and conveyed such a primal transformation as to capture the pure horror and terror of being ‘other’ than himself within those seconds of where Hyde took over his life. I can still remember being glued to my seat whilst transfixed on his emotional conveyance of the character! Tracy had this uncanny ability to delve so deeply into his role as to bring out the raw connective tissues that stitched his essence into the heartbeat of Jekyll & Hyde; he was so tied into this role, the most chilling aspect for me was reminding myself *he!* was Spencer Tracy! The atmospheric intensity of the set decoration, the period costumes, and the elemental eerie effects of how they produced this particular version of the story solidified this as one of my favourite Tracy pictures! I also realised whilst watching this film how much I appreciate psychological suspense bordering on the horrific — as this short clip from Turner Classic demonstrates, there is quite a unique transmorphication to the Jekyll & Hyde story itself.
I can only watch this every so many Halloween’s due to the performance of Tracy and due to the intensity of how Jekyll & Hyde fit into the era in whence they lived. My goal is to read the novel and then watch the film; I had given the thought to doing this for the 2014 Horror October event but methinks it would be wiser to schedule that for 2015!
Adding to the joy for me was the inclusion of Ingrid Bergman, of whom, I had originally discovered in the film Intermezzo and lateron in Notorious & Gaslight. Her performances are golden as they are innocently natural with a gentleness of intelligence. I love watching her perform, she gave it a certain type of artistry that is also reflective and reminiscent of Spencer Tracy. For me, they were two equals who shared the screen and gave performances that never leave you!
Selection Two:
The Haunting (1963) Original Film Trailer starring via TCM
I found this film quite by accident, as I had taken a fancy to watching Turner Classic on *Halloween!* for a few years as I wanted to expand my viewings of classic films set against the backdrop of the holiday itself! I knew this would involve Classic Horror, Film Noir, Psychological Suspense, & Gothic Lit entries, but that was part of the appeal for me! What I hadn’t expected is to become so fully entertained on Classic Horror films! With each startling discovery whilst I watched one film after another per each Halloween I had tuned in, I was fascinated by everything the film-makers had used to create the appeal of creating a suspenseful night of fright! In this one, *everything!* is simply perceived and unseen – the mind of the characters in the film have convinced themselves of what they fear the most, thus giving the plot the deadliest thread of narrative! I enjoyed watching each of their technique of how they brought their characters to life and even though there is a death in the story; it is how the death occurs & why it occurs that left me full of museful thoughts on the haunted and the hauntings themselves.
Selection Three:
Mystery at the Wax Museum (1933):
I still remember being a bit creeped out about the entire premise surrounding the Wax Museum plot, but what drew me into the film itself was the original spin on it! I have this film on dvd and thus, it is one of the only Horror films I actually own! I have a small collection of Halloween & Classic Horror films on dvd, but this most definitely one of my favourites! The very nature of how the museum is curated with new ‘pieces of art’ is enough to make your hand stand on end and your stomach to flip into somersaults! There are some key comical moments, but not due to the vein of action or dialogue but due to the nature of how they filmed certain sequences — especially when they are say transporting a body? I caught myself in a near-fit of giggles, because the time of when this film was produced, they made a few gaffes as far as how they sorted out a few of the filming locations & scenes! Needless, it did not take long to feel the full breath of danger, horror, and intrigue! I nearly closed my eyes — I wasn’t sure how this one was going to end, and even though I braced myself for the worst, I admit it — I was a bit of a chicken! If Mum wasn’t watching this with me for the first time, I seriously doubt I would know the ENDING at all! Laughs. No, seriously,… I’d be in the dark! Yet. Yes. It is still a bonefide favourite!
Selection Four:
Gaslight (1944) Re-Issue Film Trailer starring Ingrid Bergman via TCM:
I hadn’t realised that Angela Lansbury had her start in motion pictures within this particular film, as I was keen on watching it after a dear friend of mine in California mentioned to me by letter how much I’d fall over the moon in LOVE with this film! She not only was quite right in that pre-assessment of my reaction, but it has become a beloved movie for me to watch around Halloween! I love everything about this film, most especially watching Ingrid Bergman’s character descend into madness & emerge out of the darkness of that plight into a stronger, braver, and very sane woman whose heart led her astray but her fortitude of strength gave her the courage to survive! I loved the details of this film, as it isn’t something you can understand completely the first time you see it; my second viewing was a full year after I had seen it originally, and I was still picking up subtle clues and little bits of foreshadowing strokes of genius! Not too many, mind you, this is a very tightly writ screenplay!
Hearing Lansbury’s cockney voice throughout the film was a pure delight for me, as I’ve been fascinated by how the words & rhymes sound out loud! You can tell even within this film the dexterity of performance Lansbury would use throughout her career! She was so young, yet held such a pose of presence as to belie her age! She would endear me years (decades, really!) lateron in her career with Murder, She Wrote as I grew up watching her sleuth her way through Cabot Cove! To go backwards in time, seeing the roots of her filmography knit together has been an absolute joy!
Selection Five:
Rear Window (1954) Re-Issue Film Trailer starring James Stewart via TCM
I wanted to focus on bonefide Horror films before shifting into straight-up Psychological Suspense films but in many ways I think the two merged together irregardless of my intentions! Hitch has been in my life for as long as I can remember, as there was something innately wicked about his films – he had this intricate way of telling a story through camera, performance, atmosphere, and that line between what is real and what is imagined real; he bridged the art of film-making with the art of story-telling with precision! Rear Window never fails to keep me on the edge of my seat, even though out of all his films, I have seen this repeatedly throughout my life! I cannot remember how old I was when I first watched an Alfred Hitchcock movie, but I believe I was at least in middle school at the time!?
James Stewart had already captured my heart from It’s A Wonderful Life (my joy of seeing a Capra film is intense!) yet in Hitchcock’s films, Stewart steps out of the warm & cosy settings of the family stories providing such a convicting performance as to make me wonder each & everytime I see this particular film if he will come out alright in the end! I kid you not, I’m always curious, will they solve this in time? Will there be enough evidence?! And, of course, I had to sort of resolve the fact the villain is Raymond Burr (my beloved Perry Mason!) of whom I wish was NOT cast in this role! Talk about giving you shivers! I never like seeing actors I appreciate in strong lead roles go ‘over to the dark side of the screen’ and this is one moment where I truly wished another actor could have played the part! I love the rest of the supporting cast, especially Thelma Ritter as Stella!
Selection Six:
Vertigo (1958) Movie Clip from the Opening Credits via TCM:
Out of all the films I could have picked as my second favourite Hitchcock, I went with Vertigo over The Lady Vanishes (1938) for the simple reason that I am never quite certain if I have sorted out the plot and by the time I realise that I know *exactly!* which way is up in this film, I find myself completely captured by the suspense of not knowing all over again! I love how I continue to watch this film in enough intervals of time as to forget half of it — which is unique considering I have a solid memory for films & books, but in this particular case, I nearly try to forget the pieces of the puzzle, because I want that ‘first look’ experience where I was wholly captured by the gravity of truth as equally as Stewart’s character was himself! Not to mention the fact, I found it incredible how Kim Novak played her role as both Madeleine & Judy!
Selection Seven:
Cape Fear (1991)
I can honestly say after I saw this film, I purged it out of my memory, it was THAT terrifying! To this day, I cannot and will not watch it for a second time! Yet, the main reason I am placing it on this list is simply because it captured what I felt the genre of Horror Films would always contain; hence the reason I made the choice to stay within the fringes of horror rather than to crossover completely into it full throttle. To say this is a favourite of mine is not as accurate as saying it was one of the most mind-numbing films I ever survived watching! I cannot deny that whilst I watched the film, it not only held my nerves in suspense but it quite literally nearly choked me into a fit of nightmares! Oy vie!
This feature post is part of my participation in:
Reader Interactive Question:
Your turn! :) What are your Top Favourite Horror Films & why!? Do you lean towards psychological suspense, thriller, & the more atmospheric side of the Horror Film genre like me? OR are you a bonefide Horror lass or bloke, who is only entertained by the harder hitting films full-on with gore & violence? List the films that captured you & the film-makers and/or studios that hold your attention the most! All answers are acceptable – even if your interests do not run parallel to mine! Speak openly! :)
{SOURCES: Horror October banner provided by Oh! The Books for participants to promote the event on their book blogs; used with permission. #OTBHorrorOctober badge for Jorie created by Jorie in Canva. Film Trailers &/or Film Clips for Classic Movies embedded due to codes provided by Turner Classic Movies. Tweets embedded due to the codes provided by Twitter.}
Jorie is pleased to announce a special showcase for an Indie Writer arriving on Jorie Loves A Story during the months of October & November respectively! During the last week of October, there will be serial overview post about the three novels in the Piercing the Veil series: Intangible, Invincible, & Impossible. A fuller expanse of each story will post during my Fantasy track focus on Mondays for Sci Fi November, which is upcoming in a few short weeks! The schedule of the posts are as follows:
3rd November, 2014 | A *LIVE!* Author Q&A with C.A. Gray
6-8pm MTZ (Mountain) | 9-11pm NYC (EST)
Questions can post ahead starting @ midnight straight
into the chat itself; author will be responding live
10th November, 2014 | Review: Invincible Book 2 of Piercing the Veil
17th November, 2014 | Review: Impossible Book 3 of Piercing the Veil
24th November, 2014 | Piercing the Veil Series Showcase Special
Author Biography:
C.A. Gray is a Naturopathic Medical Doctor (NMD), with a primary care practice in Tucson, AZ. She has always been captivated by the power of a good story, fictional or otherwise, which is probably why she loves holistic medicine: a patient’s physical health is invariably intertwined with his or her life story, and she believes that the one can only be understood in context with the other.
She still wants to be everything when she grows up. She moonlights as a college chemistry teacher (she has a degree in biochemistry, with minors in Spanish and Creative Writing), does theater when she gets the chance, sings, plays piano, was once a personal trainer and in coffee shop management. She is blessed with exceptionally supportive family and friends, and thanks God for them every single day!