Tag: Simon & Schuster

+Author Interview+ A conversation with Alison Atlee, [author of] “The Typewriter Girl”, a historical fiction debut.

Posted Thursday, 28 August, 2014 by jorielov Alison Atlee, Gallery Books, Simon & Schuster, The Typewriter Girl 0 Comments

I am welcoming Alison Atlee to my blog today, the debut author of a historical fiction story set inside Victorian England, and engages the reader into the life and world of a woman bent on forging her own path and declaring her own right to choose the way in which she wants to live. I am always keeping a steady eye on the historical fiction market, as I have come to realise just how much this particular branch of literature means to me, now that I have been hosting blog tours for the Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours run by Amy Bruno {of Passages to the Past} for nearly a year now. I had always felt historical fiction was one of my absolute favourites to select amongst other offerings, but after reading such a lovely variety thus far forward within a twelvemonth, I have realised it is of utmost necessity! I simply love becoming engrossed inside narrative stories heavily wrought out of the annuals of history! Therefore, it is always a pure honour when I can ask an author of this genre I love so much to drop by for a conversation! I welcome Ms. Atlee as she is engaged in the conversation which came out of the questions that left me a bit curious; especially on ‘typewriters’ and the culture therein.

Book Synopsis:

When Betsey Dobson disembarks from the London train in the seaside resort of Idensea, all she owns is a small valise and a canary in a cage. After an attempt to forge a letter of reference she knew would be denied her, Betsey has been fired from the typing pool of her previous employer. Her vigorous protest left one man wounded, another jilted, and her character permanently besmirched.

Now, without money or a reference for a new job, the future looks even bleaker than the debacle she left behind her.

But her life is about to change … because a young Welshman on the railroad quay, waiting for another woman, is the one finally willing to believe in her.

Mr. Jones is inept in matters of love, but a genius at things mechanical. In Idensea, he has constructed a glittering pier that astounds the wealthy tourists. And in Betsey, he recognizes the ideal tour manager for the Idensea Pier & Pleasure Building Company.

After a lifetime of guarding her secrets and breaking the rules, Betsey becomes a force to be reckoned with. Together, she and Mr. Jones must find a way for her to succeed in a society that would reject her, and figure the price of surrendering to the tides of love.

Author Biography:

Alison Atlee spent her childhood re-enacting Little Women and trying to fashion nineteenth century wardrobes for her Barbie dolls. Happily, these activities turned out to be good preparation for writing historical novels. She now lives in Kentucky.

What do you feel is the hardest to convey as a writer? The historical backdrop inside the story or the narrative voice of the historical figure?

Atlee responds: The narrative voice is the bigger challenge to me. It takes time to get to know characters and figure out how they would tell their part of the story. Plus, there’s the fact that modern outlooks and attitudes can be very different from those of the past, so as an author, you’re constantly questioning character authenticity in that way, too.

How young were you when you first started to write? Who was your best cheerleader?

Atlee responds: Some experiences in fourth grade helped me understand what writers do and how fun it can be to have an audience for your stories. My mom used to carry around in her purse a short story I wrote in middle school. At least, I think it’s “used to”–really hoping she doesn’t still do that! :D

What were your early influences and wanderings in literature!? Which authors spoke to you as far as a style of story-telling endeared itself to you ahead of creating your own stories? Are there any titles you could share which are still brought forward to mind in fond affection?

Atlee responds: I was very into mysteries as a child, as well as stories with magical elements to them–fairy tales, dolls with secret lives once their owners had left the playroom. :) Around third grade, I discovered Louisa May Alcott and kept An Old-Fashioned Girl on permanent check-out from the school library for the next three years.

Is there a timescape of the historical past which intrigues you personally but one you are trepiderious to explore as a writer?

Atlee responds: I’ll happily read fiction or non-fiction about any historical period. I suppose I feel that if something captures my interest enough to want to write about it, I trust my ability to do the needed research. Not that it wouldn’t be intimidating to begin with, but I imagine many novels begin with the writer tentatively exploring an idea, not quite sure if it will work out.

Being that your novel is about ‘typewriters’, are you familiar with the sub-culture known as “The Typosphere” which is heavily present in the blogosphere? Where ‘typecasters’ not only blog by typing their thoughts on typewriters but host meet-ups where typewriter enthusiasts hold ‘type-ins’ and/or ‘typing contests’? IF you did know of these during your research what were your thoughts at a type-in?

Atlee responds: Well, The Typewriter Girl is much more about the girl than the typewriter, and the typewriter-related research I did was focused on a fairly narrow period. But yes, there is a lot of interest in vintage typewriters out there. Funny thing–typing contests were huge at the turn of the century, even to the point that a few competitive typists gained some celebrity status. The contests were a way to promote interest in this new technology.

Do you own a retrofitted and vintage typewriter? If so, what is your favourite one to use and what makes it uniquely special? (i.e. the way the keys move, noisy/silent, style of letters, etc)

Atlee responds: I have two manual typewriters. One is from 1917, and I love the fact it doesn’t have an exclamation point key. You could make an exclamation point, but it required typing an apostrophe then backspacing to add the period. By the time you’ve done all that, you’ve really put thought into how necessary that exclamation point is. One could hardly avoid becoming a better writer.

On the level of strong language inside the novel, I read that you once said in an interview you always make the choices which best honour the character your creating. Has any of the feedback from previous readers made you question if some of the inclusions should be tempered in future novels, to make the story more agreeable to those who prefer creative ways of expressing the same denotation?

Atlee responds: No. I think about words and their power and impact constantly as I write. I’m always writing toward a certain effect and purpose, so I can only choose words that help me create that effect and achieve my purpose.

What tools and materials do you use to write? And, where do you write the most? Time of Day?

Atlee responds: Post-it notes, yellow lined paper, Scrivener software, a hard-copy thesaurus. I do most of my writing at home, but the time of day changes with my schedule.

Outside the realm of writing and research, what enriches your spirit the most? Where do you find your serenity?

Atlee responds: My family and faith. Nature and being still. Laughter and wonderful stories.

Author Connections:

Site | @AlisonAtlee | Facebook

I would like to thank Ms. Atlee for taking a moment out of her touring schedule for The Typewriter Girl to answer my questions and to give us all a bit more insight into your writing life and the choices you make as you compose your thoughts inside the stories. I appreciate your honesty and your willingness to give us a bit of who you are ‘behind the pen’ so to speak! I especially enjoyed finding out that you own a vintage typewriter, and yes, I had known of the ‘typing’ contests in the past, but what encouraged me is that there is this whole counter-culture thriving in the 21st Century and slowly encouraging people back to the technology of the past. I think having a balance between different technologies is always a mindful way of preserving our living histories, as much as endeavouring our spirits to look outside of the box.

Blog Book Tour Stop,

courtesy of Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

Virtual Road Map of “The Typewriter Girl” Blog Tour found here:

I will be sharing my thoughts on the novel today as well!

see what I will be hosting next for

and mark your calendars!

Similar to blog tours, when I feature a showcase for an author via a Guest Post, Q&A, Interview, etc., I do not receive compensation for featuring supplemental content on my blog.

Reader Interactive Question:

What part of the typewriter culture of today are you curiously interested in yourself!? The stories set around the age of typewriters in fiction (novels and/or tv series or motion pictures) OR are you readily engaged with the “Typosphere” or own your own vintage typewriter? I’d love to hear your thoughts and which vintage typewriter you currently own vs the one(s) you want to acquire in the future!

{SOURCES: “The Typewriter Girl” Book Cover, synopsis, tour badge, author photograph and HFVBT badge were provided by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours and were used by permission. Blog Tour badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs. Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination.}

Related Articles:

Interview with Alison Atlee – Author of The Typewriter Girl – (edwardianpromenade.com)

Posted Thursday, 28 August, 2014 by jorielov in 19th Century, Blog Tour Host, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, Reader Submitted Author Interview, the Victorian era

+Blog Book Tour+ Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen

Posted Thursday, 12 June, 2014 by jorielov Gallery Books, Lynn Cullen, Mrs. Poe, Simon & Schuster 2 Comments

Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen

Published By: Gallery Books (@GalleryBooks)
(an imprint of Simon & Schuster: @simonschuster), 1 April, 2014 (paperback edition)
Official Author Websites: Site | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Available Formats: Hardback, Paperback, E-Book
Page Count: 352

Accomplishments Thus Far:

Great Reads of 2013 –NPR
Books That Make Time Stand Still –Oprah.com
Editor’s Pick—The Historical Novels Review
Best Books of 2013—Atlanta Magazine
Indie Next List Pick

Converse on Twitter: #MrsPoeBlogTour OR #MrsPoe

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

Curiosity Inspired Me to Read:

I actually requested to be placed on this blog tour originally, as I had heard of this book previously and was always fascinated by the premise! I wasn’t into Edgar growing up, but then, I sort of became curious about him in my twenties!? And, of course I adore *biographical fiction*! I even devoted an entire A to Z challenge post all about it! (Jorie’s Letter B) I am also finding creative new ways to blog about the books I am reviewing to garnish new interest in my book reviews! Not to mention I undertook the A to Z to be a bit of an ‘introduction’ to who I am as a book blogger! A project that I am still keen to continue writing once I sort out how to convey my thoughts for F through Z!

On the level of Poe, I think I spoke rather well about where my curiosity arose on the Interview for this blog tour:

When I first saw the blog tour for “Mrs. Poe” arrive on the dockets for Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, I was quite hopeful that I might secure a spot on the blog tour! And, I knew if I had, I would be more than compelled to enquiry a bit into the back-story of the novel itself as well as ask questions that would go a bit into the disparaging differences between the Edgar Allan Poe I grew up knowing as the true ‘Poe’, and the Poe, of whom is only recently (after apparently 150+ years of ill-begotten truths tainted our minds) has emerged as quite the dapper Dan (in appearance) and a wholly new Poe by personality! His measurement as a writer and of a man, have completely changed in my eyes and that was *before!* I ever breathed one word of the novel by Ms. Cullen!

– quoted from the Interview I gave on behalf of Ms. Cullen author of Mrs. Poe

Read an Excerpt:

Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen (excerpt) by Simon and Schuster

View this document on Scribd

Book Synopsis:

A vivid and compelling novel about a woman who becomes entangled in an affair with Edgar Allan Poe—at the same time she becomes the unwilling confidante of his much-younger wife.

It is 1845, and Frances Osgood is desperately trying to make a living as a writer in New York; not an easy task for a woman—especially one with two children and a philandering portrait painter as her husband. As Frances tries to sell her work, she finds that editors are only interested in writing similar to that of the new renegade literary sensation Edgar Allan Poe, whose poem, “The Raven” has struck a public nerve.

She meets the handsome and mysterious Poe at a literary party, and the two have an immediate connection. Poe wants Frances to meet with his wife since she claims to be an admirer of her poems, and Frances is curious to see the woman whom Edgar married.

As Frances spends more and more time with the intriguing couple, her intense attraction for Edgar brings her into dangerous territory. And Mrs. Poe, who acts like an innocent child, is actually more manipulative and threatening than she appears. As Frances and Edgar’s passionate affair escalates, Frances must decide whether she can walk away before it’s too late…

Set amidst the fascinating world of New York’s literati, this smart and sexy novel offers a unique view into the life of one of history’s most unforgettable literary figures.

Author Biography:

Lynn Cullen grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the fifth girl in a family of seven children. She learned to love history combined with traveling while visiting historic sites across the U.S. on annual family camping trips. She attended Indiana University in Bloomington and Fort Wayne, and took writing classes with Tom McHaney at Georgia State. She wrote children’s books as her three daughters were growing up, while working in a pediatric office and later, at Emory University on the editorial staff of a psychoanalytic journal. While her camping expeditions across the States have become fact-finding missions across Europe, she still loves digging into the past. She does not miss, however, sleeping in musty sleeping bags. Or eating canned fruit cocktail. She now lives in Atlanta with her husband, their dog, and two unscrupulous cats.

Lynn Cullen is the author of The Creation of Eve, named among the best fiction books of 2010 by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and as an April 2010 Indie Next selection. She is also the author of numerous award-winning books for children, including the young adult novel I Am Rembrandt’s Daughter, which was a 2007 Barnes & Noble “Discover Great New Writers” selection, and an ALA Best Book of 2008. Her novel, Reign of Madness, about Juana the Mad, daughter of the Spanish Monarchs Isabella and Ferdinand, was chosen as a 2011 Best of the South selection by the Atlanta Journal Constitution and was a 2012 Townsend Prize finalist. Her newest novel, MRS. POE, examines the fall of Edgar Allan Poe through the eyes of poet Francis Osgood.

New York in 1845:

The blackened viewing of New York City in the mid-19th Century does not surprise me, because most of the larger metro cities during the same era were full of wretched realities for the working class. I am not even sure how anyone fared well living amongst the filth and the grit of what would be visible on the streets, much less what could be smelt in the air. Cullen paints a true black picture of a reality that can be seen as it shines out of her narrative, giving New York City’s backdrop a character narrative it its own.

I was delighted how the everyday muck and interesting bits of ordinary life were spun into life by the pen of Cullen, who had a true knack for descriptive narrative to propel the reader directly into the light of the scenes. Even if the scene was featured in the background rather than the foreground, as a sweeping arc of giving the narrative depth, what I appreciated was the level of realism stitched into those words whose paragraphs held bewitching choices of word and phrase. She had a way of saying something Osgood might be thinking, but in a way which conveyed the scene of which was before Osgood’s own eyes as she traversed through her everyday environment. In this, we are given a closer pull and tug towards this specific bracket of elapsed time between Poe and Osgood, almost as though our time travel experience was set on a singular slice of time and not a second more.

Fly in the Ointment: The bit that surprised me the most is the art on the cover art of the novel itself: where I had first felt the woman was either Mrs. Poe directly (as to being Edgar’s actual wife) or Frances Osgood, I was a bit disappointed to have learnt through the disclosure of its materials that the frame and the woman were stock images used to compile the theme of the novel. I felt for sure that perhaps historical photographs might have been found through research and then, used to paint a realism of who the story unfolds to encompass. However, I sadly am finding there is a shift with publishers to use more stock images and less original sources of art. Even if an illustrator could have created a likeness to Osgood, I think I might have preferred that over a stock image of a woman who could seemingly ‘fit’ inside the era of the story’s heart.

Perhaps I am simply a reader who is growing tired of being tricked and fooled by cover art that may or may not have a connection to the story underneath the pages it is attached.

My Review of Mrs. Poe:

I found myself betwixt and at ease whilst setting into the atmosphere of Mrs. Poe, due to the beguiling bent of mischievous intrigue woven into the fabric of the opening chapters. Here, I am lamenting on the level of stepping inside the folds of where time intersects with Edgar Allan Poe and Frances Osgood, at a point of a place in New York where the two writers would become ill-fated to draw a close match of wills towards each other. Their story envelopes you into their innermost nooks of thought and sanctum of writerly enclave to broach a dialogue of thought which extends out of history’s timeline.

The finger pulse of Osgood outing Poe on behalf of The Raven was quite fetching of her character, because it is Osgood who comes out strong and viable in this story, moreso than Poe, of whom is a counterpart compliment of her own search for literary freedom. The choices she had to contend with as a married woman with a louse of a husband would make any modern woman shudder – for her was not a choice of will, but one of propriety which determined her worth. Worth which could only be bartered against her willingness to pen what her heart was not always willing to concede. I liked the conversation she had with her daughters about the poem, because it etched alive in my own mind what I found so vexing about the poem myself! It was surely not what I had forethought it would be! How clever the full scope of its measure is included in the opening bits of the novel! It takes on a lifeblood of its own as the story progresses, and if anything becomes a measuring stick for Osgood to assert her own voice in ink to compete with Poe himself.

Osgood comes across as a woman who is determined to right her own sails and make her way in the world on her own means. She was given a hand that dealt her against her society’s provisions of acceptability when her husband walked out and left her in the wake of two small girls and the edge of propriety’s mirror peering into her soul. Rallying a force from inside she knew not the strength, she continued to chin up the courage to draw a breath of creativity through her pen, and ink stories which would sell a handsome income. Likewise, Poe on the other hand is an affable bloke of whom you are endeared due to his cautious and conscience nature towards his young bride-wife, who is afflicted and sickly. His loving kindness towards her and his awkward way of acknowledging Osgood paint a different portrait than the one of a writer I was most determined not to read during my own lifetime.

Having read and learnt of the literary salons of Paris whilst reading Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald, I was pleasantly surprised by the tone of the private salon mentioned in this story, where Osgood would garnish her ability to learn without notice of others, and buckle down in strength to write what needed to be writ in order to survive on a wage that would allow her and her girls a bit of independence. Her friendship with Poe was by a strange fate of interlocking souls who creatively were equal to the other. She was attracted to Poe for the same reasons he was keen on her, to sense a recognition of understanding and of clarity of thought behind the outward appearance they each upheld to keep their place in society. A mask to allow each of them the grace of moving within the circles of their peers, yet always striving to step out of their circumstances. Neither willing to falter the illusion for the real connection they each shared, as their friendship blossomed during a crossroads they were each walking alone.

I enjoyed watching her mind draw a knitted brow of confliction, in wondering if the course she were to pursue would be worth any anguish in the long-term. Cullen writes a breadth of reflection and echoes Osgood vividly through her nuances of her character’s thoughtful mind, and culling process of teetering on which side of the line of right and wrong she wants to cross. I could have languished inside this ebb of life bubbling to the surface of the text, because inside the pages where Poe is interacting with Osgood, you start to notice a bit of a dance. A dance with two partners not always willing to keep distance, and yet, partners who appear to notice the shocking truth of where their feet wish to lead.

The hint and inclusion of other writers of the century’s prolific achievers were stitched into the backdrop, especially on behalf of the literary salon, which gained an element of joy for me. I enjoyed seeing which authors would intermingle with each other and the atmosphere of taking such different personalities and placing them aside one another. Although the story has a heart of depth, it is truly centered in its telling tale of two hearts betwixt with each other during a point in their lives where neither was free to be entwined. The subtle notions of their lives, the small attachments of their spirits, and their uncanny way of understanding before words were broached aloud is what drew me instantly into their story. This is a story that warms itself into your mind’s eye, for favour of reading the subtleties of life and how within those hidden moments, we all must decide which way our next course of action is meant to be.

My thoughts on Edgar Allan Poe:

Being this is the first time I have allowed myself to drink in the words of “The Raven” by Poe, I must confess, that what I was thinking I’d find inside the poem was most amiss of my attention and what laid bare inside took me by quite a happy surprise? Could I have been lead to believe one variation of Poe’s legacy over the truer nature of his gifts leading towards another ending of museful thoughts? I find that the Poe in which I was taught to know throughout the years I spent in lower grades at school did a most disserviceable disfavour towards allowing me to perceive Poe as he were rather than the Poe of whom everyone broached an acquaintance of. In this way, I think the impressions of how we perceive those of the literary past and those of whom are of the literary past can blur and blind us from the truth, if we were only given a marginal opening perception of who they were whilst they lived. In this particular instance, having found through the interview of Ms. Cullen I previously posted that Poe was marginalised and erased from an authentic true reality of his living years from the annals of history, I find myself besotted with a sorrow for the years in whence I could have spent knowing of his other writings. Giving myself the joy of knowing his truer self and revealing the legacy he would have preferred to have left behind in earnest.

Poe is most certainly not the first bloke whose memory has been asconed and defaced by a person who’d rather have control over the populist perception of their living reality, but to what disadvantage is served by not to bring forward the information which upturnt the prior legacy with the truth of the what scholars have unearthed? And, why then does it take such a long grievous of time to rectify what was already a blight on one man’s soulful truth? I was processing the 150+ mentioning of time elapsed between the Poe who lived and the Poe of whom we were tainted to be appalled and abhorred. Whole generations of readers were befuddled and bemuddled by one man’s ghastly take on another man’s dreams. That is the greater interest of mine. Of rectifying my own perception of a writer I truly never knew and allowing myself the grace in knowing there is still time in the clock-piece to visit with Poe.

This Book Review is courtesy of:

Monday, May 19
Review at Oh, For the Hook of a Book
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, May 20
Interview & Giveaway at Oh, For the Hook of a Book

Wednesday, May 21
Interview & Giveaway at Flashlight Commentary

Thursday, May 22
Review & Giveaway at The True Book Addict

Friday, May 23
Review at A Bookish Affair

Monday, May 26
Review at 100 Pages a Day
Guest Post & Giveaway at A Bookish Affair

Tuesday, May 27
Review at A Chick Who Reads

Wednesday, May 28
Review at Turning the Pages

Friday, May 30
Review at Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews

Monday, June 2
Review at Let Them Read Books
Review & Giveaway at Book Lovers Paradise

Tuesday, June 3
Review at Kelsey’s Book Corner
Guest Post & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books

Wednesday, June 4
Review & Giveaway at Reading Lark

Thursday, June 5
Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee
Interview at Jorie Loves a Story

Friday, June 6
postponed due to illness*Review at Jorie Loves a Story
Interview & Giveaway at Historical Fiction Connection

Monday, June 9
Review at Historical Tapestry

Wednesday, June 11
Guest Post & Giveaway at Historical Tapestry

Thursday, June 12
Interview & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages

Friday, June 13
Review at Peeking Between the Pages

Monday, June 16
Review at Unabridged Chick
Review at A Bibliotaph’s Reviews

Tuesday, June 17
Review & Interview at Layered Pages
Interview & Giveaway at Unabridged Chick

Wednesday, June 18
Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views

as I am happily honoured to be a blog tour hostess for:

Please visit my Bookish Events page to stay in the know for upcoming events!

Previously I interviewed Ms. Cullen on this blog tour & enjoyed what I learnt on Poe!

As this book has been released for awhile now, what was the greatest takeaway you learnt whilst reading about Edgar Allan Poe & Frances Osgood!? What surprised you the most about the nature of their characters and of how the story revealed itself within the narrative? Were you a dedicated appreciator of Poe OR did you come into the story completely without prior knowledge such as I had?

{SOURCES: Book cover for “Mrs. Poe”, Author Biography and Book Synopsis were provided by HFVBT – Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours and used with permission. Author Interview badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs. Post dividers & My Thoughts badge by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. Buy links on Scribd excerpt are not affiliated with Jorie Loves A Story. Book Excerpt was able to be embedded due to codes provided by Scribd.}

Posted Thursday, 12 June, 2014 by jorielov in 19th Century, Biographical Fiction & Non-Fiction, Blog Tour Host, Book | Novel Extract, Edgar Allan Poe, Fly in the Ointment, Frances Osgood, Geographically Specific, Gothic Literature, Gothic Poetry, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, New York City, Scribd

+Blog Book Tour+ The Collector of Dying Breaths by M.J. Rose {part of the Reincarnationist series}

Posted Friday, 30 May, 2014 by jorielov Atria Books, M.J. Rose, Reincarnationist series, Simon & Schuster, The Collector of Dying Breaths 0 Comments

The Collector of Dying Breaths by M.J. Rose

Published By: Atria Books (@AtriaBooks)
(an imprint of Simon & Schuster: @simonschuster), 8 April, 2014
Official Author Websites: Site | Twitter | Facebook | GoodReads
Available Formats: Hardback & E-Book
Page Count: 384

Converse on Twitter: #TheCollectorOfDyingBreaths, #TheReincarnationist,

#MJRose & #HFVBT

Acquired Book By: I was selected to be a tour stop on the “The Collector Of Dying Breaths” virtual book tour through HFVBT: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. I received a complimentary ARC copy of the book direct from publisher Atria Books, in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Intrigued to Read:

What sparked my interest is the aspect of reincarnation stitched into the series as a whole as I used to collect books on reincarnation when The Reincarnation Library was still in existence, which was a small publisher who curated titles which had fallen out of print and then, re-issued the books in such lovely editions as cloth-bound hardback copies! The titles were both non-fiction and fiction dealing with as many different aspects of reincarnation as you could be happenstance to stumble across! In the series Rose has created, the idea of coming across tools to add one’s memory of past lives is more than tempting to explore!

– as quoted from Jorie’s Box of Joy No.3

Book Synopsis:

From one of America’s most imaginative storytellers comes a passionate tale of love and treachery, spanning the days of Catherine de Medici’s court to the twenty-first century and starring a woman drawn back, time and again, to the past.

In 1533, an Italian orphan with an uncanny knack for creating fragrance is plucked from poverty to become Catherine de Medici’s perfumer. To repay his debt, over the years René le Florentine is occasionally called upon to put his vast knowledge to a darker purpose: the creation of deadly poisons used to dispatch the Queen’s rivals.

But it’s René’s other passion—a desire to reanimate a human breath, to bring back the lives of the two people whose deaths have devastated him—that incites a dangerous treasure hunt five centuries later. That’s when Jac L’Etoile—suffering from a heartache of her own—becomes obsessed with the possibility of unlocking Rene’s secret to immortality.

Soon Jac’s search reconnects her with Griffin North, a man she’s loved her entire life. Together they confront an eccentric heiress whose art collection rivals many museums and who is determined to keep her treasures close at hand, not just in this life but in her next.

Set in the forest of Fontainebleau, crisscrossing the lines between the past and the present, M.J. Rose has written a mesmerizing tale of passion and obsession. This is a Gothic tale perfect for fans of Anne Rice, Deborah Harkness, and Diana Galbadon.

Author Biography:

M.J. Rose is the international best selling author of fourteen novels and two non-fiction books on marketing. Her fiction and non-fiction has appeared in many magazines and reviews including Oprah Magazine. She has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio. Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the ’80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors – Authorbuzz.com. The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose’s novels in the Renincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and runs the blog- Buzz, Balls & Hype. She is also the co-founder of Peroozal.com and BookTrib.com.

Rose lives in CT with her husband the musician and composer, Doug Scofield, and their very spoiled and often photographed dog, Winka.

A bit of a note on the Reincarnationist series:

I had the forethought to consume the previous books in the Reincarationist series ahead of my stop on this particular blog tour, except to say the hours flew out the window before I could even grasp a strong hold of them! I even attempted to finish where I was happily entrenched inside “The Book of Lost Fragrances” as I had picked up the first trilogy of novels (“The Reincarnationist”, “The Memorist”, & “The Hypnotist”) during Bout of Books Readathon 10.0 this past month, however, unfortunately for me I could not settle my mind & heart into the first book of the series. There was too much starkly dark & intense sequences to where I could not gather a secure footing into the series. I was about to chuck the whole idea completely and simply read the novel at hand, when I realised that perhaps out of the research I had conducted ahead of my Interview with Ms. Rose, perhaps the more telling truth is that I should begin this series on book four “The Book of Lost Fragrances”!

Clearly, led to read that particular book for a reason, I had washed away the outside world and entered the realm between the character Jac L’Etoile’s quest to save her family’s parfum business and the counter weight of dipping back into the historical past whilst there was a tomb being uncovered in Egypt during Napoleon’s reign! I loved the shifting perspectives in time and place, as much as the appeal for me to approach the notion of a ‘scent’ of lingering death & life wrapped inside the vial of a singular parfum which could effectively bring back a person’s recollective memory!

The book was taking me on this adventurist journey where I felt as though I had morphed a bit through the pages as I was reading the text of the story! I love the sensation of stepping through the lens and portal of stories, where we can feel ourselves being inserted into the character’s mind, heart, and spirit!? Those are the stories which linger around our mind’s eye and do not let us abate from our murmurings after their stories are known. I have come across quite a few since I first started my sojourn with M.J. Rose’s series and I am hopeful that as I conclude reading “The Collector of Dying Breaths” I will be hungry to return backwards through “Seduction” & “The Book of Lost Fragrances” because for me the Reincarationist series begins at the jettison point of fragrance!

My Review of The Collector of Dying Breaths:

A small collection of memories filled my mind’s eye as I settled into Chapter 3, as Robbie was a robust brother surprising his sister after a long absence from each other where I had left him last in The Book of Lost Fragrances. To find him abreast his deathbed in The Collector of Dying Breaths was a bit difficult to take in at first, but then, given the nature of the story nearly felt a bit fitting as his sister Jac E’Toile had not yet risen to her position of one gifted with a nose for scent! She was struggling to come to terms with her father’s incapacity to run the family’s business in the previous installment, which positioned the state of the company in the worst of straits. She was attempting to make logical sense out of chaos, and apparently, wherever her path led her then she was still not comfortable rising into the shoes her father believed she should wear even now.

The story transitions between the 16th Century and the Modern Era, as the juxtaposition between Jac attempting to sort out the mystery of the ‘dying breath’ formula for not only percuring a dying breath from the moment it escapes the body but to captialise on the re-cataclysmal nature of its ability where le Florentine left off. The shifting eras heighten the arc of the history contained in the narrative, as both perspectives help fill in the missing pieces of what is not known when a reader such as I had not fully eclipsed the previous two volumes. A fluttering of recognition murmurs back into my ears as I read the current status of Jac’s life, with full measurement of sorrow expelled.

There is an allure of unweaving the past in such a way as to untangle each thread to reveal what each layer of its knowledge can speak through the centuries. The adventure awaiting inside is one hidden within the folds of time, of centuries past, and of lives destroyed or anguished by the actions of others. It is through precognitive dreams and premonition states of awareness that Jac is able to gain further insight into what she already knows and yet has already forgotten the knowledge of. The way in which Rose heightens our awareness of each past life through Jac’s perception of the lives themselves is seamlessly interlocked into the narrative itself. We can meander through a past life’s revealing scene as quickly as we can re-adjust into the present. The writing is writ in such a way as your mind feels betwixt knowing what is being revealed and what is being kept hidden.

The time that Jac spends at the château in France reminds me of my own fever of excitement to visit a physical place whose heritage runs the gambit of time itself. Centuries folding on top of centuries, allows the mind and the heart to imagine what life would have revealed if a little measurement of that lived age during the height of its hour were to be seen? What secrets would spill out of its tome of silence? What ruminations of boundless energy and knowledge outside the perimeters of one lived generation could encompass to contain? A quickening of excitement to find a tangible connection to the past in the present has a very real appeal to me. Likewise, whilst Jac was at the château it was entirely plausible that she was touching on ripples within the time continuance which allowed her to see what was no longer there.

The shroud of mystery surrounding Malachai etches away as bits of his humanity shine out inside the middle of the story, where he opens himself to vulnerability for the first time since Jac had known him. They share a close bond yet a complicated one as he has always been in full belief of her abilities whereas she has always been the cynic who attempts to root out the logic. In this installment of the saga, we find his human heart and his passionate disappointment for a love gone sour. Jac in this instance is turnt to as a listening ear, whereas previously their roles were quite reversed. The wounded is now in effect helping the healer. Jac is a woman who sees herself as a wounded bird whose wings are not quite set to fly. Her stasis is self-inflicted out of fear and out of the inability to shift past what she fears as the unknown gap between what can be logically proven by science and what has to be accepted on faith.

This is a story etched out of history’s tapestry of where the fates of entwined lovers cross against the barriers of time. Where the allure of reincarnation and of a life past the one once lived fever a man’s brow to gain a power he can barely understand much less muster into creation. The story is haunting as it is real, traumatic as it is emotional, but more than that, is a cautionary tale for how best to live each breath we’re given whilst we’re alive.

A note of curiosity the passages on pages 80-82 where Jac describes her history with hallucinations vs past lives is nearly word for word how I remember it being explained and disclosed from “The Book of Lost Fragrances” and there were a few other sequences as well that I felt stemmed out of my earlier reading of the former book. I do know that writers can sometimes stitch into successive volumes of a series ‘a walkabout of timelines and facts’ and having thus recognised this particular cluster as one of the larger ones, I do not think anyone would have trouble in following the pace nor the intricacies between where “The Book of Lost Fragrances” begins, “Seduction” continues, and where “The Collector of Dying Breaths” picks up from a combination of the previous two adventures.

This Book Review is courtesy of:

as I am happily honoured to be a blog tour hostess for:

Please visit my Bookish Events page to stay in the know for upcoming events!

Previously I interviewed M.J. Rose on the Dying Breaths Tour!

My upcoming tour for HFVBT is “Mrs. Poe” by Lynn Cullen 5-6th of June!

{SOURCES: Book cover for “The Collector of Dying Breaths”, Author Biography, Author Photograph of M.J. Rose, Book Synopsis, the blog tour banner and the HFVBT banner were provided by HFVBT – Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours and used with permission. Blog Tour badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs. Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination.}

Posted Friday, 30 May, 2014 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, Catherine de Medici, Death, Sorrow, and Loss, Folklore and Mythology, Gothic Literature, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, Historical Thriller Suspense, Reincarnation, Suspense, Time Slip

+Author Q&A+ Jenn Crowell [author of “Etched On Me”] Honest, forthright, and insightful conversation knitted to the heart of the story!

Posted Thursday, 17 April, 2014 by jorielov Atria Books, Etched On Me, Jenn Crowell, Simon & Schuster, Washington Square Press 2 Comments

{: Jenn Crowell is welcomed to Jorie Loves A Story :}

{: revealing insights into “Etched On Me” via an Author Q&A :}

Jenn Crowell’s debut, Necessary Madness, was released when she was just 19; her second novel, Letting the Body Lead, when she was only 24. Both were critically acclaimed and reviewers marveled at the wisdom, maturity, and depth of feeling expressed by so young a writer. Over the next ten years, Jenn earned her MFA, but also underwent treatment for depression and self-harm—issues that she writes about so vividly in her latest novel, ETCHED ON ME. Jenn is a compelling writer, and she has a talent for creating sympathetic and relatable characters.

With ETCHED ON ME, Jenn Crowell takes her storytelling to new heights as she beautifully unpacks the legacy of sexual abuse, examines the complexities of the relationships we form when our blood families fail us, and raises fascinating questions about the nature of social services and health care in a bureaucratic system. As thought-provoking as it is riveting, ETCHED ON ME is an ultimately life-affirming story that will deepen readers’ understanding and compassion, and perhaps make them reevaluate preconceptions they might have about women who suffer from mental illness and mothers who, for whatever reason, must fight for custody of their children.

Jenn Crowell holds an MFA in Creative Writing, and lives near Portland, Oregon with her husband and young daughter.

When Etched On Me first arrived by Post, the very first thing that I had noticed was the Phoenix etched into the background of the title and set as a bit of a raised watermark. At first glance, this signaled to me the story inside was going to be about a woman who rises out of the ashes of one chapter of her life as she boldly goes forward into a new chapter emblazoned by the one she’s left.

She’s an honest portrayal of a young girl who started out as a victim but championed her own cause by becoming the survivor who was as close to being an activist as you can be without crossing the line. Lesley starts out as an a teen of sixteen and transforms into a loving Mum with a University degree in her early twenties, on the verge of marriage. You rally for her each step of her journey, because she is truly walking through hell one footstep at a time — seeking her own truth and leading with her heart. Part of her living truth was accepting that she wasn’t straight and that it was okay to be a lesbian and love differently than she expected herself too. After all, each of us in walking our own path towards love and the greatest gift each of us has is love in full acceptance of each other.

– quoted from my book review of Etched On Me

I am thankful to be welcoming Ms. Crowell to my blog today, to sit for a spell and discuss the harder hitting components of “Etched On Me”, the provocative story about how one young woman endeavoured to rise out of the ashes like a Phoenix freeing herself and winning the right to raise her daughter. Brutally honest, achingly real in its depth, this is not a tale for the sensitive heart but for the open-minded reader willing to go along with Crowell as she gives honour to a real-life woman’s story of whom the novel is based upon. From page one to the ending of the last chapter, you will find yourself rallying behind Lesley Holloway, willing her to seek out the inner strength Miss & Mr. Miss know she has the ability to resurrect. They become her family at a moment in her life where she never felt she deserved the comfort of a loving home. Love and family are not necessarily bonded through conventional means, sometimes family walks in the door when your feeling broken-hearted and downtrodden with utter despair.

Let me yield to the conversation which emerged out of the Questions I gave:

I feel full of gratitude for stepping into the #LitChat conversation that fateful day when we interacted about “Etched On Me”! As I am always appreciative of serendipitous moments which allow paths to cross. Do you feel that the impetus for the story arc contained with the novel, was also a bit serendipitous as to how it led you to the young woman in the UK?

Crowell responds: Yes, I definitely do. A random Google search turned into a heartwrenching discovery, and a book-in-progress that couldn’t quite decide what it wanted to be when it grew up; found its direction.

I find it quite remarkable how in each of our lives a measure of serendipity alights in the most unexpected moments and hours; giving us the impetus to pursue something we had not first realised would tug itself into our heart. You were seeking the heart of the novel and your own heart was the divining rod which sought out the news article which knitted it together.

As you were eluding to in the #LitChat conversation, there is a disconnect between overcoming mental illness and society’s belief that recovery is not conclusive. What do you feel would change the overall mind-set towards repairing the distance that has encroached between families and social services? Do you feel it can be repaired?

Crowell responds: That’s a wonderful question, and one that the social work profession would be wise to ask itself and reflect upon! I think it’s critical for all parties to truly work in collaboration for the best outcome, but to often parents feel (justifiably) threatened and workers feel the incredible weight of their obligation to protect children at all costs. I really wish parents were given the support and resources they need to parent through crisis, without the threat or reality of loss of custody hanging over their heads at such an already vulnerable and difficult time.

I completely agree with you on this as I would hope that even though their job is rooted in protection, part of that needs to be a pro-active approach to aiding those fathers & Mums who are in a position to voluntarily opt for support. If the parents can contribute to their well-being and be as pro-active as Lesley in the novel, then I do see where the system needs to change. No one should have to suffer through what Lesley did at the time of birth of her daughter!

I am always fully supportive of social change and for stories which effectively deal with issues where social change is necessary in order to move forward towards a better future. As you first started to compose the story, did you feel it moving you towards making as large of an impact as it has now?

Crowell responds: I hadn’t intended the book to be quite so bold in its engagement with social justice, but I’ve got a lifelong habit of speaking out against injustice and I guess this novel is one more item to add to my activist resume! I will say that I wanted to be quite judicious in not making the book a partisan political statement about “The Evil Nanny State” or national healthcare or any other number of entities represented in the drama – the most explicit example being when Lesley goes on television about her plight and is then courted by a variety of interest groups wanting to make her story fit their agenda. (Lesley being Lesley, she of course sees through this and refuses!) The abolition of stigma and discrimination requires political advocacy and engagement, but it isn’t a political agenda in the traditional sense; it’s a basic human right.

I had to smile. Generally, that is the exact moment you find yourself emerging into a stronger role than you forethought you’d take on; on the level of social justice activist. I always lament that for the causes that I feel just as strongly about myself (i.e. adoption specifically) are currently in the advocate stage but I might turn into an activist as well down the road! None us knows when we will find a calling for a cause which needs a positive light shined on it. You’ve championed the need for an honest voice in fiction for the LGBT community & for pro-active social change which leads to a turning of social mindset.

Nor do I believe that your story sought out to put a bad name on the social welfare system, but rather to examine its flaws and find a way to stitch in a more positive direction it could take whilst instilling the civil rights & liberties that were always meant to be there. None of which are political in origin but as you said ‘basic human rights’.

What was the hardest part of writing “Etched On Me”?

Crowell responds: It took me a long time to reach a point where I was comfortable writing the most intense, explicit, and disturbing scenes (and there are quite a few in the book!). Eventually I just had to get over myself and write what needed to be written.

Yes, I had a feeling you might walk away feeling this way, because as a reader, I still stand by my declaration if I had not spent most of my twenties wrapped up in Law & Order, I would not have had the heart to read Etched On Me. I would still have spoken about the book, but as far as being able to process the content and be able to emerge out of it without an aftereffect of despair out of empathy for Lesley,… I think the book arrived into my hands at just the right hour to be read. I oft feel this about novels. There are times I wonder why I read certain books at certain hours/seasons throughout my life. And, then, a startling realisation emerges: it was meant to be read when it alighted in my hands and settled into my heart. There is a season for everything and this includes our reading choices!

I can say you did push the reader into startling provocative narratives, but as I went through them with Lesley it was a way of giving an honest portrayal of her life. In many ways it felt closer to a non-fiction memoir than mere fiction! Almost as though you took key scenes and situations out of the pages of a real diary written by Lesley Holloway!

And, what do you hope will be the overall outcome of readers who pick up the story and feel empathic towards your character Lesley?

Crowell responds: I hope they love her as much as I do, and come to see her as a human and relatable face of mental illness, which is so often reduced to statistics and newspaper headline hyperbole.

I do not see how anyone who reads her story can feel anything but empathy, compassion, and a lift of spirits by the time they conclude reading Etched On Me. Yet, I agree there is too much of an empathsis on statistics (which are always proven to be too limiting of a measure) and print / tv media portals. There are stories behind all of those pooled resources that have far more depth than the blurbs of mention they are given. I think the best takeaway is that everyone has to remember that no one deserves to be ‘sorted and carparmentalised’. We are greater than the sum of our parts.

When did you first realise that telling stories through ink and pen was your heart’s motivating dream?

Crowell responds: As soon as I learned to read at the age of 3, I knew I wanted to write. And I naturally found that novels were my preferred literary vehicle – I was writing everything in chapters even in grade school.

My goodness! And, here I thought I was an early starter with writing when I used to play with the computer game “Once Upon A Time” filling in missing gaps of stories which became the earliest time I can recollect of stringing together ideas for proper story-lines. I never can remember how old I was but it was surely between six and eight! Yes, by the time grade school hit, I was already working on short stories which ironically is the last time I found the format working for me! Laughs. My methodology goes between novel and epic lengths these days!

What writers and stories inspired you whilst you were growing up? What stood out inside them to endear them through time?

Crowell responds: I first read Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale when I was 14, and it blew me away, both in terms of sobering subject matter and gorgeous style. I saw her speak in Chicago a few years back, and when she gave a shout-out to all her “Twitter pals,” I screamed from the top balcony like a fangirl. No joke.

What a wicked sweet memory you have of Ms. Atwood! I love hearing stories like these because I have several of my own! You shouldn’t feel anything but pride for letting her know vocally you were one of her ‘pals’ online! I still remember trying to get Train’s attention from the nosebleed section by holding up my glow stick when everyone else had put theirs down and waving quite madly to get into their sights! I was told by ‘neighbours’ who had proper binoculars that it appeared that I had succeeded! So, never say never! And, never feel you cannot make a bold statement & let those you appreciate know you sincerely care!

I am always curious about a writer’s tools of the trade. What do you use to write as much as where do you find solace to write whilst being infused with the muse?

Crowell responds: Music is huge for me. If you asked me what career I’d love to have other than writing, I’d put clinical psychologist and musician in a dead heat for second place. The musicians that Lesley adores are my favorites, too!

Interesting you mentioned this as a response because whilst I was reading Lesley taking a keen interest in guitar & music I felt at the time that those could be reflective of you! You wrote her inklings towards music and the way in which she connected with the headphones & guitar pick in a way that bespoke of someone who in real life could relate to those moments herself. Of course, I could relate to listening to music through headphones myself as I always have had a walkman with me (yes, tapes & good ole radio still rock my world! although, I do have a discman but the batteries die so quickly!) for inspirations on the go! Music is something I spoke about quite a heap on Ms. Patterson’s Guest Post! I love finding other writers who draw a connection between their muse & music! Rock on!

What is your greatest joy in life?

Crowell responds: My beautiful daughter, and my capacity to bear witness and provide solace to others.

Congratulations on having such a beautiful family as family to me is one of the best gifts we are given! And, children! Oh, children are what light our joy as we walk through life! I think you are a master in mindfulness and empathy towards others. Others will see this too, as they read Lesley’s story; albeit giving her an allowance for her brash way of speaking! I had to get used to it, but then, for some odd reason felt it fit her? Quite odd. I am never an advocate for strong language but in this one instance I think your ability to understand people from a sociological and psychological point of view allowed you to paint her in a startling slice of realism which simply ‘worked’.

What do you love about being a writer?

Crowell responds: I feel very close to my characters, and find it such a privilege and a joy to get to know them and tell their stories.

Ah, yes!! I believe this is rather apt to describe my own love for writing! Wicked sweet, Ms. Crowell!

{- Author Connections -}

Site | Twitter | Facebook
Converse via: #EtchedOnMe

Genres: Contemporary Fiction | Mental Illness | LGBT fiction | Realistic Fiction

This author interview is courtesy of:

the author Jenn Crowell & her publicist @ Atria Ms. Valarie Vennix

Previously I had the honour to read & review Etched On Me.

check out my upcoming bookish events and mark your calendars!

Again, I wish to give full gratitude and blessings of thankfulness to Ms. Crowell & Ms. Vennix who entrusted me with Lesley’s story & gave me such a beautiful secondary feature that I know will compliment the book review for readers who want to know a bit more about its genesis. I appreciate the humbling honesty Ms. Crowell gave in her responses and for being willing to answer the questions which came into my own mind as the conversation began. There is one aspect of the novel I did not share in my review as I did not want it to spoilt it for the reader. I am not going to completely reveal it now, except to say, stay keen on the the book cover’s Phoenix and the symbolism of how the fullness of the book cover stitches together from tip to stern. IF you read the book and sort out my museful hint, drop back and we can talk about it! Otherwise, I hope as you walk with Lesley throughout all her adversity and struggles to emerge back into the light of love, I hope when you read the full culmination of the ‘cover’ you will smile inwardly like I did and simply ‘pause’ with your fingers on the last page in full reflection.

{NOTE: Similar to blog tours, when I feature a showcase for an author via a Guest Post, Q&A, Interview, etc., I do not receive compensation for featuring supplemental content on my blog.}

{SOURCES: “Etched On Me” Book Cover, Jenn Crowell author photograph, author biography were provided by Ms. Vennix and were used by permission. The author biography was pulled together from the Press Release given to me. Author Interview badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs.}

Posted Thursday, 17 April, 2014 by jorielov in #LitChat, Bookish Discussions, Cutting, Foster Care, LGBTTQPlus Fiction | Non-Fiction, Life Shift, Mental Health, Mental Illness, Psychiatric Facilities, Reader Submitted Q&A, Realistic Fiction, Self-Harm Practices, Social Change, Social Services, Sociological Behavior, Sociology, Trauma | Abuse & Recovery, Twitterland & Twitterverse Event, Writing Style & Voice

+Book Review+ Etched On Me by Jenn Crowell

Posted Tuesday, 15 April, 2014 by jorielov Atria Books, Etched On Me, Jenn Crowell, Simon & Schuster, Washington Square Press 4 Comments

Published By: Washington Square Press / Atria {imprints of}
Simon & Schuster (@simonschuster ) 4 February 2014

Publicity by: Atria (@AtriaBooks)
Official Author Websites: Site | Twitter | Facebook
Converse via: #EtchedOnMe
Genres: Contemporary Fiction | Mental Illness | LGBT fiction | Realistic Fiction
Available Formats: Trade Paperback and E-Book
Page Count: 336

Acquired Book By: Whilst attending #LitChat for Ms. Crowell’s book discussion on behalf of Etched On Me, I had the pleasure of getting to know a bit more about the novel as much as I did the author herself! Our conversation continued offline through email, where she offered me to receive her latest novel in exchange for an honest review by getting in touch with her publicist at Atria. Therefore, I received a complimentary copy of Etched On Me in exchange for an honest review direct from her publicist Valarie Vennix. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Inspired to Read: Throughout the entire #LitChat discussion about Etched On Me, my heart drew a circle of empathy around the originating premise in which shaped this story together. A woman in the UK was put in a position to possibly lose custody of her child based solely on her history of mental illness from when she was younger. She had already undergone therapy and sought wellness for herself as much as her child, yet before her babe was even bourne there was a question about if she would be fit to be the child’s mother. As soon as I heard this part of the story threads, my heart went out to the woman in the UK! There is a stigma surrounding mental illness and those who are affected by the trauma of having a history in full view of everyone they meet on their future path. And, what is quite apparent is the stigma and the misunderstanding of how far forward one can walk on their lifepath is not always a given measure of their worth if they have something in their past which draws questions from those of whom were once trusted.

What I appreciated the most is the gentleness and raw attention towards the woman’s plight but also to the breadth of depth Crowell was willing to go based on her own experiences as a mother who has dealt with mental illness. She strikes a balance of an accord between fiction and non-fiction memoir to give the reader a full-on glimpse into a reality very few realise is happening in our world. Where parents who have the right to raise their children are being marginalised for reasons that are not fair nor ethical.

Book Synopsis:

Girl, Interrupted meets Best Kept Secret in this redemptive and edgy coming-of-age story about a young woman who overcomes a troubled adolescence spent in and out of psychiatric facilities, only to lose custody of her daughter when her mental health history is used against her.

Partially inspired by Jenn’s own experiences, ETCHED ON ME is also loosely based on the harrowing story of a young British woman who fled her home country in 2007 when she was nearly eight months pregnant. UK Social Services had ordered that she would be forced to surrender custody of her child within minutes of giving birth, due to her mental health history (raped at 14, she had suffered depression and instances of self-harm during her adolescence). Despite receiving treatment and being granted a clean bill of health, she was still considered a risk to her unborn child. Jenn learned of the case while deeply immersed in new motherhood herself, and having overcome her own mental health struggles, she was deeply moved by the story.

Sixteen-year-old Lesley Holloway—our irrepressible narrator in ETCHED ON ME—is alternately streetwise and vulnerable, comically self-deprecating, and wise beyond her years. On the surface, she is just another bright new student at Hawthorn Hill, a posh all-girls prep school north of London. Little do her classmates know that she recently ran away from home—where her father had spent years sexually abusing her—and that she now spends her afternoons working in a fish and chip shop and her nights in a dingy hostel. Nor does anyone know that she’s secretly cutting herself as a coping mechanism…until the day she goes too far and ends up in the hospital.

Lesley spends the next two years in and out of psychiatric facilities, overcoming her tragic memories and finding the support of a surrogate family. Eventually completing university and earning her degree, she is a social services success story—until she becomes unexpectedly pregnant in her early twenties. Despite the many gains she has made and the overwhelming odds she has overcome, the same team that saved her as an adolescent will now question whether Lesley is “fit” to be a mother. And so she embarks upon her biggest battle yet: the fight for her unborn daughter.

Author Biography:

Jenn Crowell’s debut, Necessary Madness, was released when she was just 19; her second novel, Letting the Body Lead, when she was only 24. Both were critically acclaimed and reviewers marveled at the wisdom, maturity, and depth of feeling expressed by so young a writer. Over the next ten years, Jenn earned her MFA, but also underwent treatment for depression and self-harm—issues that she writes about so vividly in her latest novel, ETCHED ON ME. Jenn is a compelling writer, and she has a talent for creating sympathetic and relatable characters.

With ETCHED ON ME, Jenn Crowell takes her storytelling to new heights as she beautifully unpacks the legacy of sexual abuse, examines the complexities of the relationships we form when our blood families fail us, and raises fascinating questions about the nature of social services and health care in a bureaucratic system. As thought-provoking as it is riveting, ETCHED ON ME is an ultimately life-affirming story that will deepen readers’ understanding and compassion, and perhaps make them reevaluate preconceptions they might have about women who suffer from mental illness and mothers who, for whatever reason, must fight for custody of their children.

Jenn Crowell holds an MFA in Creative Writing, and lives near Portland, Oregon with her husband and young daughter.

A Phoenix on the Book Cover:

What I had not expected to find underneath the covers is a story deeply etched out of the pages of script that I had watched through an eight-year focus on Law & Order: SVU. I spent most of my twenties watching the trifecta so to speak of Law & Order; on the misunderstanding that it was in effect meant to be “LA Law”. The stories illuminated the hard-hitting real to life cases of women, men, and children living through some of the worst trauma and abuse that any one person could not even imagine. Through my time spent observing the actors who portrayed the police and the lawyers alike, I came to appreciate Mariska Hargitay’s portrayal of Olivia Benton. I would come to find out later she created the “Joyful Heart Foundation” as a way to reach out to the women who would write letters to her in full gratitude of the series and of her honest realism in giving Olivia a grounding persona.

I do believe if I had not had that section of my television viewing focused on specific cases of gutting emotional stories, I might not have been fully prepared now to read Lesley’s story. From the very first page I felt myself brought back to an episode of SVU, barreling into a story I might not be ready to read, but willing to engage into the heart-break to come out the other side into the light.

My Review of Etched On Me:

Lesley Holloway is an abrasive speaking teenager facing the horrific reality of being a victim of incest whilst having to find the courage to turn her own father in to the authorities as her own Mum is not willing to do so herself. From the brink of despair and insightful chapters of her internal struggle to sort out her life, Etched On Me begins when her crisis first erupts into seeking support, shelter, and help. On the foot-heels of seeing a page of her life far past social services, but at an episode of her life propelling out of control which brought her back to the beginning.

There is a section near the beginning in which Lesley cuts her arm quite deeply and needs to go to the ER. I had to sort of gloss past this section because the medical descriptions were a bit bothersome for me. This is a very well-written section about the consequences of self-harming and how cutters can phase out whilst thinking they are not going to cut as deep as they could. I give Crowell credit for taking her readers as close to reality as she does, even if this reader had to side step a bit to muddle through the pages.

The kindness of her Lit teacher, Miss (as she is affectionately referred) is the one who is her calming balm inside the hospital. Without her presence up to this point, I am not sure what would have tethered Lesley in a positive connection with an adult as she could not identify with her peers. Cutting affects a lot of young girls the same age as Lesley as in the story (sixteen) but also with women in their twenties. When Lesley is placed inside her first psychiatric facility she goes through a sexual awakening which at first surprises her as she is a survivor of sexual abuse. She was completely surprised that she was attracted to another girl, but part of her knew that perhaps she had known this before. Little nudges towards this realisation were painted by Crowell who gave the reader little insights into Lesley’s personality and her instincts as a woman developing her vision of who she is as she lives.

Part of Lesley’s recovery involved DBT (Dialectical behaviour therapy), in which the lessons of Zen and Buddhism are implemented to help find balance where previously only chaos lived rampant. To quell the urge to self harm by re-examining what triggered the need to cut in the first place. To be honest and open with one’s feelings and to own the journey towards self acceptance. The other half of her recovery was the close-knit family she surrounded herself with by drawing together positive role models and allowing herself the open freedom to being real with those who loved her to bits. She had to learn that love was unconditional and that by being raw and real might get you an upturnt brow on occasion (due to her choice in words!) but its your heart that shines through that allows people to become attached and endeared to you the most.

A note on behalf of Jenn Crowell:

I give Ms. Crowell a heap of gratitude and respect for being bold enough to tell this story through the lens she gave Lesley Holloway. Due to the nature of the story and the way in which Lesley raised herself up by the bootstraps, this is one novel I am not going to attach a Fly in the Ointment for language — though please be forewarned she singes off your eyebrows half the time whilst aching your heart towards seeing her find redemption and peace! To be able to take part of your own living history and etch into a story-line as powerful as this one is a credit to her own strength and confidence. I will be forever grateful that I was involved with the #LitChat book discussion which allowed our paths to cross, giving me the honour of reading her novel with the hopes that my observations return the honour back to her. This is a story about social justice and for stablising the civil rights of everyone who has struggled with and has overcome mental illness.

This book review is courtesy of:

the author Jenn Crowell & her publicist @ Atria Ms. Valarie Vennix

check out my upcoming bookish events and mark your calendars!

I would like to take a moment to thank Ms. Vennix for giving me the honour of reading this extraordinary novel and by allowing me to bring the story to life on my blog! I am hopeful that through my observations of the Lesley Holloway’s plight and journey, I can inspire other readers to get to know her on a personal level. To turn the tides of indifference or ignorance into compassion, empathy, and understanding. There is so much going on in our world that we are not always fully aware of, that I will always champion the writers like Ms. Crowell her undertake social justice and reform by bridging the gap of misunderstanding by giving back to the world a story whose undercurrent message is to enlighten and endeavour change so that others in Lesley’s position will not have to suffer nor undergo such a harrowing life shift to gain the freedom to raise their children.

Return on Thursday, 17 April for my Author Q&A with Ms. Crowell!

{SOURCES: “Etched On Me” Book Cover, Jenn Crowell author photograph, book synopsis, and author biography were provided by Ms. Vennix and were used by permission. The book synopsis & author biography were pulled together from the Press Release given to me. Book Review badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs.}

Posted Tuesday, 15 April, 2014 by jorielov in #LitChat, 21st Century, Author Found me On Twitter, Book Review (non-blog tour), Bookish Discussions, Cutting, Equality In Literature, Foster Care, LGBTTQPlus Fiction | Non-Fiction, Life Shift, Mental Health, Mental Illness, Modern Day, Psychiatric Facilities, Realistic Fiction, Self-Harm Practices, Social Change, Social Services, Sociological Behavior, Sociology, Trauma | Abuse & Recovery, Twitterland & Twitterverse Event, Vulgarity in Literature