Category: Crime Fiction

~Sunday’s #POstables postscript~ No.1 A POstables girl whose affinity for #postalmail endeared her to hand-cancelled stamps,…

Posted Sunday, 20 April, 2014 by jorielov 5 Comments

Sunday's #POstables Postscript | a feature of Jorie Loves A Story

To the discernible eye, there is a curious addition to the sidebar of Jorie Loves A Story nearly the full length of the page right before you alight at the badge for “The Society for the Ethical Treatment of Typewriters” you will find a curious headline “X Postal Correspondances X”. I cheekily used ‘X’ to mark the spot, as it was the only way to have certain link categories follow last underneath my bookishly inclined links which include everything from bookish blogs, to bookish festivals, to some of the most wickedly smashing libraries I could ever hope to visit one day! And, rather fittingly directly below this section is “X Typewriter Culture X” as you can see dear hearts, I have this affinity attachment to yesteryear technology! My most adamant dream is to one day own at least two if not four retrofitted typewriters from the 1930s (cough), 1940s (most likely), and 1950s (dare I?)! As you tell from my reactions it is less plausible at times to conspire hope for a machine of the ’30s if one wants to use the machine as a workhorse! The latter years were built with more security of sanctity or so it would appear from my research!

I have oft found myself a bit bemused that no one has ever been inclined to ask me about those curious additions being that this is a predominately active bookish blog! The truth of the matter is that I have been a #POstables girl long before there was a Hallmark Channel tv movie entitled: “Signed, Sealed, Delivered”! For you see, from the tender age of eleven years, I have been wholly entranced and captured by the singular experience of writing postal letters whereupon I affix postage stamps (mind you, not the metered printable strips which nearly have overtaken the joy of a letter-writer’s life!) and cart out my words, my hopes, and my incantations of my ordinary hours into the winged world of the United States Postal Service! My heart flutters a bit whenever I last see the envelopes I so lovingly grasped in my hands, as they are ferreted out to be sorted, cancelled, and shipped. I excise an anxious moment of willing myself to not allow my anxiety to become transfixed on the few instances where my letters and/or parcels have not arrived fully intact. Those are the rare instances of postal communications which those of us who have sent letters the near-full of our lives take as par for course! For each letter that is safely delivered is a calming balm to the worriment over a handful of wayward ones!

Last year, (2013) when I stumbled across such a curious little premise of a two-hour movie reflective of my own fluttering joy of postal experiences, I could not help but curl up in front of the tv quite betwixt for the entire teleplay to conclude! There inside this quirky cast of characters and the illusion that even our wayward letters have the ability to right their sails during troubled seas and reach the dear hearts we first hoped would receive our thoughts inked into the pages of our letter; reaffirmed the hope of every letter-writer! A tender-hearted dapper gent was at the helm of the Dead Letter Office, taking upon it as his duty not only to seek out the receiver and the sender, but to give meaning and purpose to his job. Not to take lightly the contents of said letter nor of the wishes of the sender as one could only speculate the circumstances surrounding its errand.

Entranced and thirsty for more stories of Signed, Sealed, Delivered I cast out a hopeful prayer that perhaps in light of Hallmark Channel’s new fervent attempt to listen to their listeners others had voiced their intentions as I. I was not connected to Twitter at the time of the airing, nor would I have been as comfortable with Twitter then as I am now as it does take a bit of adapting to get the handle on ‘hashtags’ and ‘conversations’! No. I might not have even been as keen to declare my love of certain series, keeping my thoughts in the closet and hoping Hallmark would silently hear my plea. Sometimes I find in life that even the voiceless hopes we desire become answered prayers in the hours we are not expecting to find an answer. And, isn’t that a bit like how our letters are delivered!? Handled by one carrier to another, passing through one state to reach one at the opposite end of our country? Yet, let’s expand this a bit further outside our shores as I correspond with global friends not just ones who are stateside, how then does the letter I hand over to the postal clerk who patiently awaits my choices of stamps to become affixed to the top of the envelope get delivered to an entirely different continent and country? Oh, to be such a spy and follow the little winged fellow! To see what an envelope sees as it is transported from truck to plane or truck to boat! Who knows truly the paths in which our words have to traverse to reach those we intend to read our news?

Tonight’s episode dealt with the paradoxical dilemma in knowing your loved ones are inside Witness Protection but your grandson is bent on sorting out where you (his grandmother) reside as missing your birthday is not sitting well with him. To watch as the gallant and friendly postal workers detect his whereabouts and access the situation on the fly, was pure joy! Of course, one of my favourite moments is when they are all stuffed into the car like clowns at the circus and the grandmother in question realises that “the Dead Letter Office” is not a front for the US Marshalls but rather the sincere honesty of the group who take each letter as a trusted treasure to be protected until the right person is found to receive it! Of course the entire sequence relating to Norman and the lovely book of retired stamps he inherited out of friendship had my eyes glisten in remembrance of my grandfather, who instilled in me a passion for stamp collecting!

An appreciator of cosy mysteries since infancy apparently, I loved the subtle noddings of a ragtag amateur detective squad seeking out clues and nibbling out the truth as they go along. The only thing lacking a bit in the series that the movie had the flexibility to do as it had more length of time, is the stretching of the mystery itself. To elongate the intrigue to just a shaving of a fraction giving us less of a leeway of seeing the resolution of the ending around the next bend in the script. Even with that foreshadow being in plain sight rather than obscure, I cannot help by mirthfully find myself not only at ease of heart whilst watching the show but bewitched about how ruefully clever Hallmark Channel was in greenlighting a serial programme which has a bottomless well of stories yet to be lifted to screen!

I’ve been having a heap of fun exchanging tweets with either the cast directly OR with the void of unknowns who happily attach themselves to the tag #POstables. As sometimes you will find yourself wanting to write a short note into the void of the twitterverse, hoping the words resound with another of a like-mind and perhaps settle a smile as they click through to another tweet. I took to being a #Hearties like lightning due to the blissful Saturday nights spent seeing how the community of Coal Valley would carry-on after such a tragic beginning. I do not think my affection for romance is a shocking declaration to those who visit my blog regularly! A sweet romance touched with inspiration is always a hug of comfort to gladden one’s day!

Yet, as a self-declared #POstables girl in my tweets, this particular attachment goes close to my heart-strings! For I have always kept the letters I’ve received warmly reflective of when I first glimpsed them in my postbox! How keen it was to see all the different country stamps affixed to the upper corners! To denote the differences in hand-writings of friends not yet readily known but on the verge of a keen friendship soon to blossom! The textural changes in writing papers and envelopes, as well as how the length of letter changes from one friend to the next. Oh, how I have been a #POstables girl long before there was ever a hashtag OR a television series!

And, like Mr. O’ Toole I have always been happily enchanted by the touch of each envelope which arrives — knowing that somewhere out there in a world which has become closer by heart, a dear friend is fervently anxious to hear my reactions to the words cast out in ink, paper, and seal! Next week, I shall disclose a bit of what inspired the collection of links in my sidebar and why washi tape has befuddled my ability to use ‘scotch tape’!

Click-over to the Official Signed, Sealed, Delivered Trailer:

http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/signedsealeddelivered

Official Twitter Accounts for Signed, Sealed, Delivered:

Converse via: #SignedSealedDelivered, #POstables or #SSD_TV

I now turn the table of conversation over to you, dear hearts! What first propelled you to watch “Signed, Sealed, Delivered”?! Were you as euphorically excited as I was that this particular series is a besmirked sequel of “Touched by an Angel” on the level that faith is interwoven into the story-lines as gentle as a touch of grace? And, how “the Dead Letter Office” are as conspiratorial as our beloved Angels? Seeking to help those who need them most without thought of what lengths they might have to go in order to have each case handed to them sorted and put back to rights? Have you been a letter-writer throughout your life OR have you only begun to take up your pen? Do you get as excited as I do about stationary artists, postal stamp release dates, and distress inks to jazz up your rubber stamps!? Do you decorate your envelopes and spend hours on Vistaprint sorting out return address label designs? What kind of postal joy makes you smile the most!?

When I first saw this tweet sent by Ms. Andra Wakins I knew I had found another postal mail kindred soul:

{SOURCES: Sunday’s #POstables Postscript badge created by Jorie in PicMonkey. Tweets were embedded due to codes provided by Twitter.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2014.

Related Articles:

The American Philatelic Society – (stamps.org)

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Posted Sunday, 20 April, 2014 by jorielov in #POstables, Amateur Detective, Epistolary Novel | Non-Fiction, Postal Mail | Letters & Correspondence, Signed | Sealed | Delivered, Sunday's #POstables Postscript

+Blog Book Tour+ Inscription by H.H. Miller

Posted Friday, 18 April, 2014 by jorielov , , 0 Comments

Parajunkee Designs

Inscription by H.H. Miller

Self-Published: H.H. Miller () 9 January, 2014
Official Author Websites:  Facebook | Twitter
Converse via: #InscriptionTour
Available Formats: Trade Paperback and E-Book
Page Count: 278

Acquired Book By: I was selected to be a tour stop on the “Inscription” virtual book tour through Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. I received a complimentary copy of the book direct from the author H.H. Miller, in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Book Synopsis:

The year is 1851 and the Grand Guard is ravaging Mainland. Arrests. Floggings. Swift executions. Twenty-year-old Caris McKay, the beautiful heiress of Oakside Manor, is sent to live with distant relations until the danger has passed. It’s no refuge, however, as Lady Granville and her scheming son plot to get their hands on Caris’s inheritance with treachery and deceit.

Soon, alarming news arrives that the ruthless Captain James Maldoro has seized Oakside and imprisoned Caris’s beloved uncle. And now he’s after her.

Caris escapes with the help of Tom Granville, the enigmatic silver-eyed heir of Thornbridge. But when a cryptic note about a hidden fortune launches them on a perilous journey across Mainland, Caris and Tom must rely on wits, courage, and their growing love for each other if they hope to survive.

Filled with adventure, intrigue, and romance, Inscription will transport you to a historically fictional world you’ll never want to leave.

                                                                    

Author Biography:

H.H. Miller

H. H. Miller is the author of the novel Inscription, a historically fictional romantic adventure. In real life, she’s content director at Stoke Strategy, a brand strategy firm in Seattle, Washington, where she specializes in transforming what some might call “boring” technology jargon into compelling, readable, memorable stories. Her favorite escape is Manzanita, Oregon – a place of beautiful beaches, wild storms, chilly nights around the bonfire (even in July), and time to enjoy life with her husband and three children.

For more information please visit H.H. Miller’s Facebook Page.


On how I enjoy beginning a novel:

I am not sure the rituals other readers go through when they start to delve into a novel, but for me, I like to take a bit of time coaxing myself into the narrative hidden beneath the pages of the covers! I like to note the subtle definitive descriptions of the story on either the inside flaps of hardcovers or the back-covers of soft-cover editions. I like to take a nod and a pause to read the Acknowledgements, the Dedications, the Author’s Foreword, as well as see if the writer included a Table of Contents. This last habit is a bit remiss these days, but thankfully Inscription is the exception! Quite a lot can be found about a writer and their story prior to consumption, and what I appreciate the most are all the little hidden bits you can wander around a book and find! For instance, Miller likes to leave a bit of a trace of humour and intellectual curiosity for those who like me, are always a bit on a search for interesting words and turns of phrase. To include a scientific word I had not yet seen but knew was a nibbling of a clue of sorts was the kind of folly I cherish! For you see, a quick whirl of the One Look Dictionary Search I came to denote that the word ‘lepidopterist‘ is the particular person of interest who appreciates moths & butterflies!

My Review of Inscription:

The ominous beginning of Inscription left me murmuring about the atmospheric way a novel can transport us into that humming void of forethought and regret once we begin an adventure. Miller has the instinctive nature of writing a level of intrigue into her narrative that propels you forward, whilst yearning to see what shall happen next at the same time. Her deft skill is in giving such a vivid display of well-bodied characters set amongst the backdrop of turmoil. She eludes to the devastatingly brutal eclipse of a military state of fear all the while noting the charm of an Uncle’s love for his niece. Maddox and Caris are two characters you want to stand behind, due to the fullness of their heart and character.

I personally love to see authors knit in a proper dose of moxie into young female leads. To break the barriers and reveal the unique few who lived boldly in the 1800s. Pioneers so to speak who were rebels with the cause towards equality and the freedom to choose your own destiny as a woman. Care and attention was taken to have a flushed out back-story to weave together the in-between bits of Caris’s past. I love the broad and layered strokes Miller etches into the story-line.  She makes reading Inscription a delight for the imagination. I truly celebrated her choice in giving her female lead the advantage over William Granville who is far more rake than gentleman! Even denoting this, Miller envelopes him with a dash of intrigue as he foolishly cannot make the leap as to how any woman can dismiss his advances. And in that bit of self-conceit, I always mirthfully feel a twitching in knowing an electric battle of the wills shall ensue!

Caris blessedly held her head and her carriage to an astute level of calm when facing down an adversary as thick and slick as William Granville. Her disdain for his reckless behaviour and his ill-wont attitude of elite privilege was never lost on her either. In never giving him the upper hand he craved she was slowly and calculating nibbing away at his ego. A trait that served her well as the danger started to heighten and her more immediate concerns turnt to survival.

The extenuating circumstances which led Caris to Thornbridge (relatives by marriage not blood) and away from her Uncle’s estate at Oakside Manor would reappear in her life to lead her back to the starting block. The entirety of her life was properly out of balance and sync with her heart, as she was running from danger from the moment she first left her Uncle. Danger has a cheeky way of catching up with you, as though a mark of its arrival is attached to you and only when you finally unravel the full scope of the deceit can you firmly step outside its reach.

Every inch of detail is set to the rhythm of events as they are unfolding for Caris; Tom William’s long-lost brother who returned home with quite the barrage of ill-justice attached to his heels. A motley crew of two seeking to find redemption and revenge on behalf of their circumstances and situations, they travelled together towards Oakside to see what if anything had become of Caris’s home. Whilst they travelled, I felt Caris was shedding her childhood skin a bit with each click of the horses hooves. She had become aware of her independence at Thornbridge surely, yet on the road back home she started to settle into her skin and realise this for herself. Part of reading her story felt like a woman on the verge of owning her own life, emerging out of a period of respite and entering into her future a bit stronger despite the grief of her adventure.

Inscription is told in three parts, much like a play on the stage. For all the entrances and exits, you find yourself so emerged into the story you struggle to re-adjust your eyes to the reality around you. It is a story enriched by courage, faith, love, and the determined grit to overcome all odds which become stacked against you. It is not for the faint of heart in some passages, as it does ruminate about the floggings (lashings by a cat-o-nine-tails) and the grisly vigilante murder by a lawman consumed by madness; but at the core of Inscription is the plight of one woman (Caris) and one bloke (Tom) finding their true destiny. And, that dear hearts is far worth the anguish of a few passages of turmoil! I devoured this text in one sitting as I could not bear to wait to know the outcome!

On Ms. Miller’s writing style :

Ms. Miller’s writing style reminds me distinctively of Jane Austen & Charlotte Bronté as she takes the best of what I love of both women’s style of the craft. She has picked up on the subtle grace of Austen’s observational narrative and of the beguiling atmosphere of Bronte. She has writ such an alarmingly brilliant drama that each page turn meant digging deeper into the suspense of the Granville family! In this, the joy of reading Inscription truly lay as it was within the layered threads of the Granville tapestry which beheld the best bits of intrigue!

Of course, one of the most startling revelations was in finding that William was a mere apple fallen too close to the tree! His mother Lady Granville was the spitting image of Danielle’s step-mother in Ever After! Where pride fell strong towards marital wealth and how the coffers of a family were paramount towards all other pursuits. As if the notion that wealth would bring true happiness rather than the gift of love providing true joy. Miller lets her readers think hard on the thematic she explores whilst giving a well-written story to be savoured.

I cannot wait to see what Ms. Miller writes next. She is one of the self-published authors who is re-defining the bar of excellence in self-publishing. Even the copy of the final draft was free of errors from my eyes!


This book review is courtesy of:

Inscription Book Tour via HFVBT

Check out my upcoming bookish events to see what I will be hosting next for

Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours - HFVBTand mark your calendars!

Have you ever opened a book and begun to read what was inside its pages completely unaware of the story which would unfold? Only to realise that the story you are reading is writ in such a unique fashion, that your heart doesn’t want the pages to end? You want more of either this story or more titles by the author to consume next? This is how I felt as I read Inscription! It is even hard to describe *exactly* the kind of novel it is as at the heart of the story its a romance between two young twenty-somethings caught up in the middle of events that are beyond their control. Their harrowing journey is both towards each other and away from the danger others seek to see befall them. I could not take my eyes off the pages, as I loved how Miller elected to tell this story. Which book have you recently read which mirrored my own thoughts on this story?

{SOURCES:  Inscription Book Cover, synopsis, tour badge, and HFVBT badge were provided by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours and were used by permission. Book Review badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs. Tweets embedded by codes provided by Twitter.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2014.

Comments via Twitter:

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Posted Friday, 18 April, 2014 by jorielov in 19th Century, Action & Adventure Fiction, Blog Tour Host, Bookish Discussions, Clever Turns of Phrase, Death, Sorrow, and Loss, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Feminine Heroism, Genre-bender, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, Historical Romance, Indie Author, Life Shift, Passionate Researcher, Psychological Suspense, Romance Fiction, Romantic Suspense, Self-Published Author, Suspense, Treasure Hunt, Unexpected Inheritance, Wordsmiths & Palettes of Sage

+Book Review+ Moments in Millennia: A Fantasy Anthology edited by Penny Freeman

Posted Monday, 7 April, 2014 by jorielov , , , , 0 Comments

Parajunkee Designs

Moments in Millenia edited by Penny Freeman
Artwork Credit: Dale Pease (of Walking Stick Books) http://walkingstickbooks.com

Published By: Xchyler Publishing () 11 February, 2014
Official Editor WebsitesSite | Facebook | Twitter
Converse via: #MomentsInMillennia
Genres: Time Travel | Alternative History | Dystopian
Available Formats: Trade Paperback and E-Book
Page Count: 234

Acquired Book By: I contacted Xchyler Publishing about receiving books in exchange for honest reviews and was asked to pick the two books I’d like to request. Moments in Millennia was my second choice, as my first choice was A MidSummer Night’s Steampunk. The main reason I selected this anthology is due to my continued appreciation for being introduced to new authors through their short story contributions. I received a complimentary copy of Moments in Millennia in exchange for an honest review direct from the publisher Xchyler Publishing. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

A note about Xchyler Publishing:

I have been quite impressed with my interactions on behalf of Indie Publisher: Xchyler! They have been quite forthcoming and open to suggestions, ideas, and for a book blogger to not only host their editor & author on my blog, but to be open to giving me press materials to incorporate into my posts. I have enjoyed getting to know Ms. Freeman through my interview with her about her editing, writing, and reading experiences as much as I had the honour in getting to know a bit more about the genre of steampunk through her brother fellow author Scott E. Tarbet.

I am hopeful I can continue to work with them in the future, as they are one of the Indie publishers who has a distinctive eye for creating books which give a reader a lift of spirits to read. The attention to detail in their books is quite bang-on from editing, copy-editing, cover-art design, and by giving some of their books a lovely book trailer presentation that borders on motion picture adaptation! I have enjoyed getting to learn a bit about their process as a publisher as much as learning key behind-the-scenes into the writing of the novels through one of their authors.


Editor Biography:

Penny Freeman

Author and editor, Penny brings to Xchyler thirty years of wordsmith experience, with emphasis on historical fiction, business writing, and journalism. She also serves as assistant public affairs director of a large organization, and has extensive experience in social media and Internet advertising. Literature, history, and storytelling are her great passions, although the technical aspects of the language arts satisfy her compulsion for order. 

Anthology Synopsis:

Travel with seven talented authors as they glimpse through time into Humanity’s future. Will mankind blossom and flourish, conquering the stars and time itself? Or, with selfishness, greed, and just plain bad luck send us all to the brink of destruction?

The Cartographer by Samuel A. Mayo: Destined to chart the stars throughout the aeons, a team of novice map makers are thrust into a conspiracy to control the universe and time itself.

Author Connections: Site | Twitter | Facebook

Fairykin by Ben Ireland: In a world where nature has ceased to exist, a tribe of fairies on the brink of extinction must fight for survival itself. But who will bear the ultimate cost?

Author Connections: Site | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Time out of Mind by Michael Cross: One young girl’s cosmic connection to her grandfather’s tragic past brings life and hope to the blackest days of the Holocaust.

Author Connections: Site | Twitter | Facebook

The Hawkweed by Candace J. Thomas: Consumed with guilt, one girl fights to solve the riddle of her friend’s murder and the disappearance of his brother—unaware of the price on her own head.

Author Connections: Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Spaceman in Time by Fischer Willis: Victor seizes the chance to return to the past and right a terrible wrong. Will he have the strength to do what he must, or will history repeat itself?

Author Connections: Twitter | Facebook

Human Era by Neal Wooten: Two grad students hurl themselves into the past with their wormhole technology. Their modern skills make them heroes, but do they truly know where they are?

Author Connections: Site | Twitter | Facebook

Black Ice by S. P. Mount: Men have become mindless drones controlled by chip implants and a master satellite. Can one serial killer imprisoned for a thousand years give them the will to truly live?

Author Connections: Blog | Twitter | Facebook

{ full author biographies : on Xchyler Publishing }


My review of Moments in Millennia:

{ am electing to highlight the stories within the anthology which piqued my interest the most out of the seven offered inside }

| Time Out of Mind by Michael Cross |

From the moment I entered this short, I felt a direct pull into the story-line as Cross singularly chose to focus on the aspect of love and how bound we can become through love where time disintegrates from view. Love is an unlimited gift where time and distance do not affect its full measure of containment. By arching the story into a military dialogue of a grandfather’s selfless acts towards gaining the freedoms of others, whilst the granddaughter struggles to understand how her heart can entwine, through time was a very enchanting pull at the very jump-start of a story!

I believe the main reason this particular story held such a heart tug for me, is due to the fact I come from a very close-knit family. I oft talk (on Jorie Loves A Story & regular blogs I visit) about my adventures in uncovering my ancestral past as Mum and I resume the search after a bit of a long hiatus to uncover the missing gaps and links on both sides of our family. And, of how through these historical adventures the connections we find become stitched into our family’s tapestry is a bit like the discovery of the coin inside Time Out of Mind. You find a tethering to one moment nestled into the past which brings the past forward and the present backwards. We create connections due to our distinctive nature of not only wanting to belong but to become understood. To understand not only where we originated ancestrally but to understand who we are and what our purpose is whilst we journey through life.

The nexus of the portal which opens through the coin brought me startling back to Somewhere in Time, which is one of my favourite all-time romantic motion pictures despite the gutting ending and the reprieve that is bittersweet. The bending and yield of the fissure points held within the mechanisms of how time is wielded and kept is always an interesting theory to pursue.

As I read this story with a thirst and appetite of anticipation,  my heart willed me to press the pages apart and see what the author would reveal on the next page, the next paragraph, the next sentence. It held my attention longing to know as Chantel did the fullness of the story she was tipping herself into on behalf of her grandfather’s legacy. He gave her a unique gift at the turning point of his exit from life, and it’s how she’s meant to follow his guidance that gave my heart a pulse-jump.

Cross pursues the theory of history and time being of temporal constant travellers of each other, where in order for our present to be in our reality, the past which has already occurred is still on-going as it had once lived. The present therefore gives us a way into the future, but whilst in the present we can stumble into the past and the past into the present at junctions of arrival we might not be aware of crossing over. In this, he held my complete attention.

Shedding my own tears as I turnt the last pages on this lovely short story, I felt compelled to see if Cross has published other stories such as this one or on parallel themes. He is intuitive about a woman’s heart and mind, as much as he understands the fractures of our hearts when we are left without the connecting pieces to puzzles. Living histories and historical artifacts help us all engage in the conversation of our shared reality. We gain compassion and empathy simply through the acknowledgement of who traversed before us as much as giving proper honour to those who died for a cause greater than we can all fully contemplate in one sitting.

Michael Cross is a debut author getting his wings in the publishing world from what I can gather off his website! How splendidly wicked news is this?! To have alighted on his first published short story and its the very one within this anthology which held my breath and heart in equal eclipse!? I cannot wait to read more of his writings, and am hopeful he is in development of a novel or novella which will be released in print form so that I can partake of reading it! Dear hearts, if he continues to write on the breadth of what I’ve just completed reading in Moments in Millennia – I dare not emerge until the last page is consumed! He has a gentleness and soft grace in writing a story with this thematic and character point of view.

| Human Era by Neal Wooten |

When I was younger I was especially intrigued by the motion pictures “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “2010”. Stemming out of those initial stories of how futuristic reality and past reality can become altered or perceived differently given the chance to change the perception of how time is analysed and accepted. I garnished an interest in “Planet of the Apes” except to say I never had the proper chance to watch the Roddy McDowell editions opting inside for the Mark Wahlberg remake when it was available to see on the silver screen. Cautionary tales of how future societies and future living realities can become transformed by interference and by curiosity.

Within the short contributed by Wooten, I had a foreshadow knowledge that their adventure ‘through time’ would end in a shocking conclusion. Not the kind that would be overtly traumatic or psychological disruptive to their well-being, but the shock that comes from discovering the unexpected truth of their actions. And, how best to continue forward in their own ordinary lives after having lived through the experience. I was not disappointed as they jolted through their time machine crossing through their homemade wormhole straight into a medieval time period fraught with war and unimagined terror of epic scale.

The more they explored the less they understood, because everything they could observe, sense, and be aware of was telling them they hadn’t traversed very far at all. If anything, they appeared to have travelled to their own world yet a step out of time or place from any map which could guide them. I loved the layers Wooten added-in to the narrative and the heart of the character of Ash, who I wish could have been developed and explored further past this initial foray. Ash is the type of character you could rally behind and see grow in the role of a mentor for the young lads who recklessly pursued technology they had little understanding of past its conception.

What I appreciated the most is how thought-provoking the capsule of the tale is for generations who are pursuant towards science explorations and experimentation. There is always a nod towards knowing how to balance the joy of discovering a new ‘acting theory’ of science within the realms of what is plausible and safe to explore. When we tip the balance into pursuing elements of science which lead us down corridors of heightened danger – it’s best to pull back and reconsider what the consequences might incur for everyone rather than the few who are involved in the experiment. It would have served well to have an epilogue on this one to see what the lads had learnt from their wormhole trip through time and how effectively they forestalled the events yet lived.

Neal Wooten is a huge appreciator of The Walking Dead which I found unique on the level that it’s the very last television series I would even dare contemplate viewing! It is interesting then that it’s his short which drew my eye to mention in my review of Moments in Millennia as I drew a connection to both of these stories (his & Cross) moreso than the others! I would not have felt that possible had I known ahead of time he was into Zombies & Horror, as his short is such a far cry from both genre exploits! This story appears to run in a side vein of what he normally writes and for that I appreciate the chance to sample his writings! I wonder if he could expand on the theory he set forth in this short and encourage out a novel?


My closing thoughts are ones of gratitude to Xchyler Publishing for giving me the honour of reading two of their books and being in a position to ask for Interviews on behalf of those who create and/or oversee the creation of the stories they publish. I am going to seek out an Interview for the two writers who inspired me whilst I read “Moments in Millennia” and I hope to provide those for you to read in forthcoming weeks. I was swept away by the depth of the story Cross conceived as from the initial moment I started to read his contribution to the very closing paragraph I dare not lift my eyes for fear of not returning to the narrative and the journey in which Chantel embarked on to find the truth etched in the past.

Stories which stir our imaginations and our hearts yield the best reading pleasure and joy; hence why my reader’s heart is full of gratitude at having been given such an extraordinary introduction to the works in which Xchyler Publishing produces and gives to readers everywhere. Again, I hope that I will be able to work with them again, and I do hope you will re-visit me this Thursday as I give my thoughts and observations on behalf of Scott E. Tarbet’s Shakespearean Steampunk debut!


Moments in Millennia : A Fantasy Anthology Book Trailer by Xchyler Publishing


This book review is courtesy of:

Xchyler Publishing

check out my upcoming bookish events and mark your calendars!

And, be sure to drop back on Thursday, 10 April

when I review A MidSummer Night’s Steampunk!

Previously I lamented about my appreciation for anthologies!

Dear hearts, I extend the conversation now to you,… what do you appreciate about anthologies which feature upcoming OR established fantasy writers? Which thematic do you find yourself attracted to the most out of: time travel, alternative history, and dystopian? The two I featured fall under the first two categories! Have you stumbled across a new-to-you author by reading a fantasy anthology and then longed for new material by them to read next? What elements make a short story endear you the most? And, what do you think is the hardest part on behalf of a writer of a short story to convey to their readers!?

{NOTE: I am enjoying the “Just Write” edition of writing blog posts in WP! This is my first post to be completely written inside this new format of ‘white board’ free writing – where you can focus on composing your thoughts without the interference of the menus & columns of the regular view inside of a browser. Quite a bit more enjoyable for me!}

{SOURCES:  Moments in Millennia Book Cover, synopsis, Editor photograph & biography were provided by Xchyler Publishing and were used by permission. Book Review badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs.  The book trailer by Xchyler Publishing had either URL share links or coding which made it possible to embed this media portal to this post, and I thank them for the opportunity to share more about this novel and the author who penned it. Tweets are embedded due to codes provided by Twitter.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2014.

Related Articles:

Author Spotlight: Fisher Willis – (xchylerpublishing.com)

Author Spotlight: Candace J. Thomas(xchylerpublishing.com)

Conversation with Ben Ireland – Author Interview – (jaurelguay.wordpress.com)

#BookReview: Moments in Millennia – A Fantasy Anthology (jeriwb.com)

Comments via Twitter:

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Posted Monday, 7 April, 2014 by jorielov in 2001: A Space Odyssey, Alternative History, Anthology Collection of Stories, Book Review (non-blog tour), Book Trailer, Bookish Discussions, Debut Author, Dystopian, Fantasy Fiction, Futuristic Fantasy, Good vs. Evil, High Fantasy, Indie Author, Indie Book Trade, Military Fiction, Somewhere in Time, Suspense, The World Wars, Time Travel, Xchyler Publishing

+Blog Book Tour+ Trinity Stones by L.G. O’ Connor Introduction to the Angelorum Twelve Chronicles!

Posted Sunday, 6 April, 2014 by jorielov , , , 5 Comments

Parajunkee Designs

Trinity Stones by L.G. O' Connor

Published By: She Writes Press () 22 April 2014
Official Author WebsitesSite | Facebook | Twitter | Trinity Stones Site
Converse via: #AngelorumTwelveChronicles & #TrinityStones
Available Formats: Trade Paperback and E-Book
Page Count: 366

Acquired By: I was selected to be a tour stop on the “Trinity Stones” virtual book tour through TLC Book Tours. I received a complimentary copy of the book direct from the author L.G. O’ Connor, in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Paranormal Romance: Is a new genre I am engaging into the heart of as I had mentioned on my review of Ryder on the Storm  I had not even realised that I was already reading bits and bobbles contained within the genre itself ! After my readings of Violet Patterson’s opening of her Storm Sullivan saga, I decided to tread into the waters of the genre overall. What I find fascinating is how wide of a range the genre can entertain stories under its branch of literature! If I were to consider what is writ under the article on Wikipedia for Paranormal Romance, my inclinations lie as follows: ghost stories (i.e. mediums a la “Ghost Whisperer” OR cosy mysteries involving a ghost as a main or supporting cast character); heightened abilities such as telekinesis & telepathy; shapeshifters (i.e. the hawk in Reclamation by Jackie Gamber); and the mere fact it is a gene-bender for a crossover between science fiction, fantasy, & horror! For me, the fact that the horror is mostly kept at a distance or within what I consider ‘horror-lite’ is quite wonderful! The elements of time travel and of bending time against itself is also an appeal, as I love when science is brought out in such creative ways as to make you consider the epic realities of what could be plausible but are not yet probable!

I am thankful Trinity Stones came up for review via TLC Book Tours as I continue to make my ‘introduction’ into a genre I am still curious to become acquainted! One nice surprise was receiving a Trinity Stones novel card which has the cover-art on one side and the book synopsis & book information on the opposite. I used the card as a bookmark whilst reading the novel, and am thankful Ms. O’ Connor included it with the book!


 Angelorum Twelve Chronicles Synopsis:

The struggle between good and evil is eternal, but modern science offers an opportunity to upset the balance. Set in a refreshingly current environment, Trinity Stones: The Angelorum Twelve Chronicles by L.G. O’Connor, is the thrilling first story in this series about humans and angels brought together to fight a final battle against the Dark Ones.

Book Synopsis of Trinity Stones:

New York investment banker, Cara Collins, has little to smile about on her 27th birthday. Her boss is a misogynistic pig and the love of her life is married to someone else. Top that off with a creepy man in the subway and then a homeless woman on the street grabbing her and asking to be healed, and Cara’s panic disorder rears it’s ugly head. Cara wonders if things could get any worse until a mysterious letter arrives announcing she’s inherited $50 million–which must remain secret or those close to her could die. As Cara unravels the truth surrounding her inheritance, she makes a startling discovery: angels walk among the living, and they’re getting ready to engage in a battle that will determine the future of the human race. In the midst of these revelations, she meets the mysterious and sophisticated Simon who stirs her sleeping heart and offers her another chance at romance. But when the love of her life and his daughter are kidnapped by dark forces, Cara must choose: accept her place in a 2,000-year-old prophecy foretold in the Trinity Stones as the First of the Twelve who will lead the final battle between good and evil . . . or risk losing everything she holds dear.

Captivating and thrillingly romantic, Trinity Stones captures the eternal struggle of good and evil and the occasional need to bend the rules for the most important force of all: love.

Author Biography:

L.G. O' ConnorL.G. O’Connor is a member of the Romance Writers of America. A corporate strategy and marketing executive for a Fortune 250 company, she writes adult urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and contemporary romance. She is currently preparing the second book in the Angelorum Twelve Chronicles: The Wanderer’s Children, for publication at the end of 2014. In addition, her adult contemporary romance will launch later this year. A native New Jersey girl, she lives a life of adventure, navigating her way through dog toys and soccer balls and loaning herself out for the occasional decorating project. When she’s feeling particularly brave, she enters the kitchen . . .

Find and connect with her in any of these places:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads 


An opening which had me pinned to my seat:

I am never quite sure what to expect when venturing into a genre I have not read as well as others, but in the moment of uncertainty I sat back eager to dig into something new. Finding an opening which had me pinned to my seat and a breath of haste in my throat as I read the Prologue of Trinity Stones was not what I had expected! The gutting moment for me is the realisation of how tedious the balance is within the series of the Angelorum Twelve Chronicles between light and dark / good vs. evil. There is a curious back-story emerging out from under the narrative which eludes to the purpose of a prophecy shared within the pages prior to the Prologue. It’s quite the clever tie-in to yield the arc of the series.

My Review of Trinity Stones:

Aside from a furrowed brow over the language barrier issues, as I am a gentle reader who advocates for less vulgarity not more in the stories she reads, I was a bit surprised by the theory of power wielded in Trinity Stones. The fight between Angels and Demons has held deep roots in most religious histories, but to see how the interplay between who is aligned in the Light and who sides with the Dark in a fictional format was quite interesting. Especially considering that even on the level of those who walk in Light, information about how to overcome the evil of the future is withheld to prevent cross-repercussions stemming out of free will. The flow of the story is to introduce the reader to the backbone of the series, but in the beginning chapters your faltering a bit to understand the depth of what is being revealed. The little ruts in the road for me there would be the blight of vulgarity surfacing here or there, but to another reader they might not cringe as much as I did.

I was much more interested in the direct link between Hope (in the Prologue) and Cara who becomes the central character in the narrative. Each of them holds a dynasty of ancestry that is quite startling at first to conceive, but then, being loosely aware of mystic religious histories and how dangerous the world hangs in the balance without most of us realising the danger at hand; the theories presented had a level of plausibility. Especially as O’ Connor writes-in the ability for some of the entities to have the freedom to cloak out of sight of everyday humans. The veils of the worlds are thin but even within a short distance there is much for humans to be forthright worried about!

Cara is an woman everyone can relate too. She’s a bit flawed but loveable in the sense she is a work-in-progress. She’s attempting to sort out her life from the professional side to the woes of her heart. She was intuitive enough realise she draws a connection to Kai in a way that is not entirely natural. It’s her gift in which her grandmother bestowed as hint of a legacy at her birthday she’s perplexed about the most. In this train of thought, I was excited to watch her grow towards understanding and the realisation of how her life could affect so many others.

The stitchings of Genetics and science experiments to reveal a hidden agenda of the research Kai is working on implored me forward into the text. I’ve always been appreciative of science and the one class which surprised me in high school of being of keen interest was Genetics. The sequences of how our genes pool together to distinguish how we’re put together on a molecular level was fascinating! Along with of course the anomalous deviations which can stem out of our cell’s history and coding. Genetics is a fascinating branch when you stop and think about it because so much is carried within the cardinal run of DNA coding and sequencing; including through ancestral lines.

The battleground for souls and the balance of humanity are center-stage in this first exploit into a new series where Angels are at war with Fallen Angels. The cornerstone of the story is etched out of the depths of religious history and theory, of what can be foretold and what can be destined. The sanctity of free will plays a large role in determining the course of action. The hardest passages are when the Fallen Angels supersede the Angels & Guardians in power struggle. The imagery O’ Connor provides is a bit frightful but you have to put it into proportion of what is happening inside the story. She provides a lot of historical background to the Angelorum as well as to the time in which the story is set. Everything that has been put forward into this volume is opening the door of what is yet to come next.

And, I for one am eager to see where her muse leads her next!

Trinity Stones : the Trinity of Faith:

One of the interesting bits of the story for me is how the Trinity Stones are assembled and kept together; three halves of a whole which interconnect to work in tandem for protection, discovery, and enlightenment of destiny. The reason this was of a curiosity to me is because I’m a spiritualist who enjoys studying world religions. I found it incredible how O’ Connor managed to take religious thought and transmorph it into a paranormal romance & urban fantasy setting to where the theory of the Stones themselves hinge directly back into religion. I found it intriguing to watch where she took her mythology and where it dissected with mystic spirituality. The background research she must have conducted would have unearthed a great deal of insight and historical mysteries to last throughout the four-book series!

The way in which she represents the soul as an orb of energy as much as how each living soul has the choice to walk its own path during a lifetime spent on earth was truly along the lines of my own beliefs. I enjoyed the gentle guidance of the Angels, who took on different roles within the story: Guardians, gatekeepers, and administrative types of whom strived to maintain order from the ensuing chaos. The flip-side of representing the light of good is being as real and honest about the darkness and evil. I think she struck a balance to where those of us who walk in the light can respect the darkness as its presented in the story but with the encouragement of knowing that however fragile the balance; light pushes back the dark each chance that it can.

Fly in the Ointment:

I am never quite sure why explicit expletives have to be inserted into romance novels, as for me, they do very little to add to the character’s personality but rather detract from their character. The first curse word barely had me flinch as I sort of expected there might be the occasional word here or there when I noted this is referred to as ‘adult’ paranormal fiction rather than straight-up paranormal romance or YA paranormal romance. I think the main difference between the adult bracket and the young adult bracket is the language bar of concern. I clearly yield to the mindset that narrative can stand on its own merits without vulgarity at all. There is one explicit word in particular which is my absolute pet peeve to find in literature because of its strength and of its definitions. Inside Trinity Stones its used more as an adjective than an noun or explicit depending on which character was talking in the moment of use.

My personal opinion is that this story could stand on its own merits without the vulgarity being included. The characters are strongly fleshed out and the world in which they exist is sharpened to where you feel as though your living through their shoes. The details are bang-on in every inch of a way possible and to me, the quirk quips of cursing distracted from the narrative left behind.

*UPDATE: In the morning after this book review posted, the author graciously left a comment in the threads advocating that if any reader who alights on my blog finds the same to be true for them on the issue of language as I explain in my ‘Fly in the Ointment’ they are encouraged to contact her about a special digital version which has been edited into a YA version. Again, this is between you and the author Ms. O’ Connor herself as I do not host bookaways/giveaways on Jorie Loves A Story, but the graciousness she expressed in reaching out to all readers who want to read her novels touched my heart. Please see her full message below.

IF the YA version gets re-packaged for the quartet series in print format, I’d be one of the first readers to get a full set!


This book review is courtesy of:

TLC Book Tours | Tour Host

check out my upcoming bookish events and mark your calendars!

{SOURCES:  Trinity Stones Book Cover, synopsises, and tour badge were provided by TLC Book Tours and were used by permission. Book Review badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs. Author photograph of L.G. O’ Connor provided by the author herself and used with permission.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2014.

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Posted Sunday, 6 April, 2014 by jorielov in Angels, ArchAngels, ArchDemons or Demonic Entities, Blog Tour Host, Death, Sorrow, and Loss, Debut Novel, Fallen Angels, Fantasy Fiction, Fly in the Ointment, Good vs. Evil, Indie Author, Paranormal Romance, Romance Fiction, Shapeshifters, Supernatural Fiction, Suspense, TLC Book Tours, Unexpected Inheritance, Urban Fantasy, Vulgarity in Literature