Injustice Can Be Found Anywhere! Cindi Gale's Debut Novel Speaks for the Accused...

"Lars took my lunchbox, scouted the land around the violet patch, and pushed our lunches past some grass into a crack in the ground. It was a good refrigerator, and shaded too. Finally we were free, like when the teacher released us at the door to the blacktop and recess was officially started. We could run full speed to the monkey bars, swings, or kickball field.

"Beat ya there."

"I barely noticed my winter-soft feet meeting the prickly rocks and thistles, racing down the bank to the soft soil at the water's edge. Lars squatted and balanced on the balls of his feet. His hands were already reaching for rocks. His long, blond hair fell forward hiding his eyes, but I knew they were investigating. He'd talked Mom into letting him grow his hair, because he was into The Byrds. He played their record over and over on the player in the den, because of "Turn! Turn! Turn!" being his favorite song. I liked it too...

"Lars..."

"How do fish get here?"

~~~

Threadbare

current finalist in the International Women of Faith Writing Contest.

By Cindi Gale

Sometimes the blurb for a book, while enticing, does not really tell you what a book is about... In this case, it is so much more... For one thing, it is written in first person, Kirsten Nyberg is really the main character, and we find it is more her story and responses to what happened to her family. I think this is important to know upfront. It allows readers to begin to perceive that what happens to one individual in a family, or even a community, can ultimately lead to results that could not have been imagined--good...or bad...results...

The story begins with a poem called Reap... I must admit that the idea that came to mind was the phrase often used: "Reap What You Sow" which is referred to in a number of Bible admonitions. But in today's world, we have found that, in our own lives, sometimes that just might not prove to be true. Sometimes what happens to us is not something that we would ever set out to sow...

Lars, Kirsten's brother, obviously would never have planned what happened. At the same time, we know that many others have actually performed what Lars was accused of. Can we ever know what is the truth? Do we accept what we are told as truth?

"We'd known Rayann Stone all our lives. Our
family and the Stones attended the same church and
lived in the same school district. Lars was the oldest.
Rayann was two years younger than Lars and a year
older than me.
"Because we were in separate grades, we seldom
saw each other at school. We were regularly
together at church, attending Sunday school every
week, summer Bible sessions and camps, and,
since seveth grade, monthly youth group events.
Somewhere we have a home video of Rayann standing
between Lars and me, singing "Jesus Loves Me"
in the preschool choir, as adoring adults cooed and
chuckled at our innocent exuberance...
~~~

"My objective was to comprehend Rayann's capacity to
accuse Lars of such a horrible act and her parents'
willingness to believe her and press charges against
him. My life experiences with people this degenerate
were limited to characters in novels and movies...
I was hoping to understand the mysteries of another
person's thinking and behaviors, and there was no
teacher or book to enlighten me...
~~~

Lars and Kirsten were very close in their early years. Kirsten looked up to her big brother and he had done much to earn her trust, loyalty and love...

When the time came, she knew there was no way--just no way that Lars had done what he was accused of by a school mate and member of their church... Rayann was pregnant and had pointed her finger at Lars!

Then she had lost the baby so that nothing could be done to prove, biologically, that Lars was innocent...

Two members of one church...
Two students at one school...
Two families in the same community...

One was blamed...
One was named innocent, though guilty

This is the event...

That ruined the lives of an innocent family...

Or did it?

Can something that happens to you over which you have no control ultimately be for the good? Yes, but there is much pain, anger, and suffering along the way. This is what Kirsten shares with us...and in doing so, many readers will find things that they, too, have experienced. I did... Did I get to the point where Kirsten's relationship with God became more personal and spiritual... Sometimes I have... I keep trying...

And this book, I believe, is just another way God provides for us to keep on trying to find Him in all things that happen. Does it matter to us whether Rayann was exposed? We all cry, yes! We watch television and cry out for justice, automatically believing that the accused is guilty... Sometimes they are not; we never really know for sure, do we?

But will whatever happens actually take away the sting that made Lars leave the church, leave his home? Does it help that his entire family was tremendously hurt by the people of their community, their church--by the remarks that were made?

Does it matter that whatever has happened to you also be exposed? I find as I get older that I expect justice much more than I did in my earlier life...I keep hoping for it as well...

I could tell you the good parts about this book, but I'm not going to. I've given you the essential issues that will be covered. It is not often I would say that a book is inspired. I believe this one is and that each reader will find in this book what it is that God wants them to find.

Cindi...If this is a story based upon some truth, may God continue to be with you and your family in all things...


GABixlerReviews

About the Author

Cindi Gale graduated from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, with a BA in Psychology. Following graduate school at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota she worked as a physical therapist, most recently with children in the school setting. She lives in northwestern Illinois, not far from the family farm where she grew up, and is the mother of two sons. Threatbare is Cindi Gale's first novel. Write: Cindigaleauthor@gmail.com.

Have You Ever Busked? Free Today/Tomorrow! Mary Rowen's Contemporary Drama, Living by Ear, Will Hit Lives of Many Women!

http://artculture.com/culture/performance
/seattle-bumbershot-busking

September, 1992
"The JFK Jr. lookalike in my morning rush-hour audience is impossible to ignore. He's got that same square cin, those same square shoulders, that dark, combed-back hair. And every time I glance in his direction, he's looking back at me with eyes the exact same shade of blue as his Brooks Brothers shirt. Not my type, but holy shit, he's cute.
"If Gina were here, she'd tell me to win. According to Gina, winking's a busker's secret weapon; she says a good wink can convert the dollar bill a yuppie was about to drop into your guitar case into a five, or even a ten. She claims it startles them and makes them feel guilty about their wealth. But I've never winked. I don't want people supporting me out of guilt. I'm a better musician than that. So I keep both eyes wide open and finish my song. It's a work in progress right now, a ballad about some whose true love has moved away, and it's getting pretty good audience response.  My best songs are autobiographical...
"Hey there." Startled, I glance over my shoulder and there he is. Up close, he looks a little less like a Kennedy, but he's still very handsome.
"Oh, Um, hi." He must be a religious recruiter. People in my profession get invited to churches all the time. He's wearing a small gold signet ring, and his fingernails are very clean.
"You're too good for street corners," he says. "You should be on the radio, o MTV, or both. You should make a record."
"Hmmm. Religious recruiters don't normally talk about stuff like that, so maybe he's a music executive. And I'm not interested in going commercial. I mean, I've considered it, but every time I hear Gina's poem called "Busk," I remember what I was born to do.

Busk because you're feral.

Squeal, Shriek, Moan.

Your currency is joy and you buy and spend freely

Earth is infected with criminals and caged animals

but you're peaceful.

You're wild.

And you are immune.

Your wings are wide. Your mouth, hungry but free."

~~~

Living by Ear

By Mary Rowen

Over the last several years, I've been amazed at the number of television shows offering "big bucks" for performers, but even more by the quality of many of these individuals! In this period of reality television, it seems corporations are supporting where bottom line results will also mean sales for them.

But in the past, those who had talent had only their own hometown areas in which to seek recognition...

And...I want to quickly point out that this novel, though related to music, is easily comparable to any woman who has placed her own career plans on hold while she supports her husband and family... That grabbed more of you, didn't it? When I was a supervisor, I often wondered how my female employees could handle their high-stressed jobs as well as providing for their families. In fact, many did not. From one point or another, things had to be left undone or the woman would be on medication to deal with the stress. Some were...

But what if your husband, and even your children, had no interest in supporting your career? Too involved in what was important to their own lives?

Chrissy had been in love with Curt--was it just because they sung together out there on the streets? Or was it his beautiful body, their intimacy?

She was shocked when he announced he was leaving, moving. She hardened her heart, because he'd not once said anything about them, about his leaving her...about...her...

So when he was leaving, she walked out the door, even while he was saying that he loved her...and couldn't go back...

But many nights, as she was alone in bed, waiting for her husband, she would remember Curt and remember how they were together...

She didn't know, really, why she had married Jon...She loved Max and Lucy and was thankful for her children, but when Jon had cheated on her, had become, perhaps an alcoholic, out of control, even though he claimed to want to run for the Senate, she had begun looking back, back to when she was living by ear, playing her songs, being free, independent and happy...

What had happened to Jon's promises?

Jon met her as a busker, with her hippie-like clothes and her multi-colored hair. He even asked her out and took her to a fancy restaurant for dinner that night, not caring that many people watched the unlikely couple. He was a rich lawyer, working hard to make partner, and was already planning for running for the Senate. While he had told her he had connections to help with her career, it never had happened. Each time Jon would logically present the issues of the kids, his upward career moves which forced him to work long hours...on and on...

Chris had lost all of her street friends or could never make connections since Jon had purchased a large home in suburbia... And there weren't even neighbors close enough to make new friends...

Now even the kids had their own lives and friends. She had tried to work with Jon to cover home issues and she would begin short periods of busking. It never happened for one reason or another...Now she was afraid she wouldn't be able to do it! And she was going to sneak out without telling anybody else!

My heart's pounding so hard under my blouse that the fabric's vibrating. Originally, I'd considered wearing my old busker bellbottoms and tie-dyed t-shirt, but I think I'd feel like I was in costume, and Halloween's still two weeks away. Besides, I don't want to call any more attention to myself than I have to. As much as a forty-six year-old busker can, I want to blend into the subway scene today. So I've settled on a pair of comfortable Seven jeans and a fitted navy blue blouse from the Gap.

"I buckle up my guitar case and think about the four songs I practiced yesterday while the kids were in school. "You've Got a Friend" by Carole King, The Beatles' "Yesterday," "Dean Flowers" by the Rolling Stones, and "Box of Rain" by the Grateful Dead, which used to be Andi's favorite. I've played all of those tunes hundreds--maybe thousands--of times; they're standards for me, like "Maggie May" is for Rod Stewart, and "Allison is for Elvis Costello. None of them should give me the slightest bit of trouble.

"So why am I so scared? Why am I shaking? I'm going out there to play guitar and sing a few cover songs. That's it. No big deal...

"Then I see her: a woman I recognize from around town..."

~~~

Having never married, it is hard for me to understand, even though I've seen other women do it, how a woman can find herself so very alone, even while married. Chris' story may be totally unlike your life, or it could be very much like yours. What it will be, though, is a reflection of what happens when a woman totally leaves her former life behind when she enters into marriage...

What amazed me was what happened when Chris began planning for a divorce...and his later...confession.

..

But Mary Rowen wasn't going to allow this to have a, perhaps, "real-life" ending. What she did gives us was a wonderful final ending that I wasn't too surprised at...but which provided a totally lovely experience as I closed Living by Ear... Readers, you'll know who you are... And if it's you? Get this Book and find yourself again! Even if it is only by happily spending time reading Mary Rowen's Debut...

GABixlerReviews

Mary Rowen grew up in the Massachusetts Merrimack Valley and is a graduate of Providence College. She has worked as a teacher, writer, salesperson, and political canvasser. She lives in the Boston area with her husband, children, and cats. Living by Ear is her first novel.

Related articles

• Living By Ear - Mary Rowen
• The Buskers Bible
• Homeless Vancouver street busker inspires film 'Hit 'n Strum'
• Granville Island buskers say onerous rules, auditions clash with local values
• A busking she comes ...
• Hello Europe Aims to Recognize Buskers and Share Their Art with the World with New Crowdfunding Project
• Vancouver busker inspired Toronto indie film 'Hit 'n Strum'
• Calling all buskers ... ; Banbridge Buskfest needs you!
• Teacher failed by Novopay turns to busking
• Homeless Vancouver street busker inspires film 'Hit 'n Strum'

Antonio Garrido Creates Historical Novel of Significance, Including Background, and Thriller With Leading Character Song Ci, Father of Forensics!

The Corpse Reader

By Antonio Garrido
Translated by Tom Bunstead



Recipient of the 2012 Zaragoza International Prize for best historical novel published in Spain


Out on the 28th of May; Pre-order now!!!



When a novel receives such an award, it is quite easily for any reviewer to exlaim that it is outstanding! And that is very true...

Buttt, naturally, for me, when I saw the author's name and learned he was from Spain, I automatically went to the back of the book!

Yes, there it was, a complete bibliography, as well as a glossary! Then I checked out his credentials--a former educator and industrial engineer... Further, he has spent years of research into the Tsong dynasty, as well as the five-column treatise on forensics written by Song Ci, who is now commonly known as The Father of Forensics Medicine...

Now, why did that come first for me? Well, because this book was written by someone outside of China. To me that automatically meant he had to have considerable evidence of research to have acquired the knowledge to write such an epic historical novel on the life of Song Ci, don't you think?
And Antonio Garrido certain has done that. Interestingly, he had little knowledge of forensics...

Wow! Don't we Americans think we all know so much, given our variety and interest in television programs, such as CSI, Bones, etc., but when we read a novel based upon a master of this science, we will quickly learn that we really know so very little!

"Ci had some doubts about Gray
Fox's inspection, and Ci was ready
to see if he was right.
"He went first to the corpse's nape,
working his fingers from there up
along the scalp to the crown of the
head, and then inspecting the ears
with the help of the little spatula.
Then he went downward from the
next, examining the muscular
shoulders, upper arms, elbows, and
forearms, stopping at the right hand
and paying particular attention at the
base of the thumb...
"Your student has carried out a
superficial examination. Blinded
by his ego, he ignored the value of
what seemed to him banal facts.
Just as a race over a thousand li
can only be achieved one step at a
time, examining a corpse requires
patience and attention to the most
minute details..."
~~~

The first half of the novel surrounds Ci's childhood and reminded me of the famous Prodigal Son's story, except that Ci was attending college, while his older brother farmed their land. But when his father lost his job, Ci had to come back and did most of his work, while his brother took much more time off. 

A number of important characters are introduced in this part, including a judge for whom his father worked and who did much to ensure that Ci was taking the proper classes and other support he needed to be able to sit for a future position.

Even then, while he took classes, however, his brilliance placed him as somewhat of an outsider, especially, with a student who had high connections, but did not have the "eyes" to see what Ci did when he evaluated bodies.

But then a neighbor, Shang, was murdered and Ci first found the body as he worked in the fields, and then was brought in to review his body. Ci's brother was blamed for his murder, but his rival made sure that word got around that Ci should not be trusted...


Ci was also foolish in later becoming involved with a local gambler who wanted to take advantage of his expertise and entice rich customers to the local cemetery, to have Ci examine the body and define how the individual died. It was at that time that Ci began to be called "The Corpse Reader..." It's hard to blame him, however, since his father and mother as well as his brother in jail, leaving Ci with his ill sister...

At this point, the drama, suspense, and investigation moves into high gear as Ci tries to find evidence to save his brother. He met  with corrupt officials, told he would have to pay to gain support for his brother. In desperation, he manages to get further into trouble to make money...and then having to quickly leave town! As he left, he visited the cell where his brother was and saw the results of his torture and knew he was dead. They had lied to him, even as they took the money!

In The Washing Away of Wrongs, the first documented forensic entomology case is reported. In 1235 A.D., a stabbing occurred in a Chinese village. By testing different blades on an animal carcass, it was determined that the wound was caused by a sickle. After further questioning, the investigator had all villagers bring their sickles and lay them out before the crowd. Blow flies were attracted to a single sickle because invisible remnants of blood and tissue still adhered to it. The owner of the alleged sickle later broke down and confessed the crime.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collected_Cases_of_Injustice_Rectified

Interestingly, this case which comes from the works of Song Ci, is used in several ways during the mystery thriller. Cool use of actual research, right?!

"1206, Tsong dynasty, Eastern China.

Fujian Circuit.

Jianyang Subprefecture farmlands.

"Shang didn't know death was coming for him until he tasted the blood spurting up into his throat. He covered the wound with his hands to try to stem the bleeding. He tried to speak, too, but before he could make a sound, his eyes opened wide and his legs crumpled beneath him like a worn-out marionette's. If he could have uttered the words, he would have spoken his killer's name, but the blood in his throat, along with the cloth the killer had stuffed into his mouth, prevented him.

"On his knees in the mud, before breathing his last breath, Shang felt the warm rain and smelled the wet earth beneath him. Both had been with him his whole life. Then, soaked in blood, Shang's body collapsed into the mire, and his soul drifted away..."

~~~

Test: What is the most important word in the above paragraph for solving this mystery?

This novel is exceptional in so many different ways... If you are into forensic sciences, this is a must read... History buffs...also a must-read! For those who enjoy a good forensic science suspense thriller, this will easily fulfill your interests. Highly Recommended!

GABixlerReviews

A native of Spain, a former educator, and industrial engineer, Antonio Garrido has received acclaim for the darkly compelling storytelling and nuanced historical details that shape his novel The Corpse Reader. This fictionalized account of the early life of Song Cí, the Chinese founding father of forensic science, represents the author's years of research into cultural, social, legal, and political aspects of life in the Tsong Dynasty, as well as his extensive study of Song Cí's own five-volume treatise on forensics. In 2012, The Corpse Reader received the Zaragoza International Prize for best historical novel published in Spain (Premio Internacional de Novela Histórica Ciudad de Zaragoza). Antonio's previous novel, La Escriba, was published in 2008. Garrido currently resides in Valencia, Spain.

Related articles

• Read an Exclusive Excerpt from Antonio Garrido's The Corpse Reader

Seeking Dr. Magic by Scott Spotson will Provide Fun, Excitement and More to YAs and Adults Both!

Seeking Dr. Magic

By Scott Spotson

"Just then, out of the corners of his eyes, he saw a reporter pick up his mobile phone and speak into it. Herfield was annoyed. He didn't approve of interruptions caused by mobile devices during organized events, attributing such behavior to unfortunate habits newly developed by the younger generation...
"The first image they saw was a grainy close-up of what appeared to be a ninja clad in a black outfit, standing on top of a building...They were fixated on the image of the solitary figure on top of the building, precariously situated close to the edge. Suddenly, the character deliberately leapt up, tucking his legs in. Throughout the room, everyone gave a short utterance of surprise, shocked. They saw the figure do one flip, then he disappeared from range. The clip then zoomed down several stories, so fast that they were unable to count how many. But it seemed like anywhere from five to ten.
"Then some yelled, "He's going to jump again!"
"Even before the speaker finished, they watched as the rigure jmpted up impossibly fast, as if in a blur. The figure once again left the range of the screen...
only to disappear...
"...in St. Petersburg, Russia, Cape Town, Africa, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil..."

~~~

Was it a hoax, magic, or, as some claimed, aliens from outer space... They had jumped off of buildings, jumped back to the top...and disappeared! If a few had not caught them on their phones, there would have been no proof that these events all over the world had occurred...

It had begun during the time of former FBI Special Agent Tony Hetfield's announcement to the press that he was retiring and starting his own private investigation agency...

So, to regain a little of the buzz that had been generated around the world, Tony put up a notice, flying it over the city, that he was seeking to meet with Dr. Magic.

Now Tony had spent quite a bit of time gathering the details of what had happened and through his normal logical review of the facts had determined that there had to be one super human being who was behind everything that had been occurring! And he wanted to meet with him!

Of course, just by "naming" the responsible individual, he had moved one step forward in gaining the needed recognition to get clients coming to him...

But, would this super human being be willing to meet him?

"He [Hetfield] felt he had made significant
progress. At times, his research was so exciting,
he had trouble compelling himself to sleep at
in his hotel room. Oftentimes, we would wake
up in the middle of the night, and go onto his
wireless computer--secured through passwords
and encryption--and follow up on a detail he'd
thought of during a failed attempt at sleep..."
~~~

Let's just say that, yes, they did meet...and the next thing everybody was doing was trying to rescue Tony Hetfield from hanging upside down on a bungee rope in another city! If you want to actually see what this would have been like, there's a vid below...but Tony had known nothing about taking such a jump, of course, but awoke hanging upside down, moving up and down...and scared!

Fun, right?!

But no matter how much magic you can do--can you beat an experienced law officer who, once challenged, knows exactly what to do to investigate everything you might ever need to know to find somebody?

While Dr. Magic will thrill the teens and adults who see super-heros as somebody who represents, perhaps, a role model, those of us who enjoy a good mystery will gravitate to Tony's character as he uses his intellect to wade through what is actually happening. But, most of all, for me, what I want to emphasize is that there is action, adventure, and so much to watch as these two pit their individual skills and expertise against each other (with some danger but no real violence)!

Who will win? Or will anybody win with brain versus brawn with lots of magical backup!

A thoroughly enjoyable book, just over 200 pages, that is quickly read, but will leave readers with a smile, an awareness that, perhaps, magic does exist in the world and, maybe, one day, we might even meet Dr. Magic! You should feel free to share Dr. Magic for the enjoyment of those, say, 12 and above... Highly recommended!



GABixlerReviews

"There were now scenes of brightly colored men and women, dressed in tights, running amok through the city streets. The caption below read: Montreal, Canada. This time, the quality of the images was better, but still appeared to be taken by a bystander using a mobile device. About eight men and women, decked out in red, orange, green, and blue stripes, were agilely running over cars that had been stalled in traffic, as bewildered drivers stared out through the windows. The nimbleness of the provocateurs surprised Hetfield. They seemed to each leap eight, ten feet of distance on the ground with ease, not requiring a massive take-off. They ran very fast--without effort. Hetfield stared at one car. The car, including the windshield, was all covered with hues of red, orange, green and blue stripes, same as those on the darting figures...
"These are the Rainbow Seekers. At each scene, they leave cards stating the name Rainbow Seekers and a fake phone number."
Once again, they disappeared and nobody could find anything to prove they were there!
~~~

Scott Spotson is a novelist who excels in imagining scenes of intrigue and adventure within ordinary lives while daydreaming, then pulls together various plots to create a compelling story. He likes to invent “what if?” scenarios, for example, what if I could go back to my university days, and what would I do differently? What if I could switch bodies with friends I am jealous of, like the guy who sold his software for millions of dollars and does whatever he pleases? What if I had the power to create clones of myself to do my bidding? Scott then likes to mentally insert himself into these situations, then plot a way to “get out” back to reality. This is how “Life II” and “Seeking Dr. Magic” were born, within weeks of each other. He’s still working on dreaming up a situation where he gets to smash a pie in the face of his boss, with no justification whatsoever – how to get out of that one?

Scott loves to travel and is partial to the idea of spending extended vacation at ski resorts up in the mountains. You know, the one like in the James Bond movie “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” where the view is breathtaking, there’s an outdoors hot tub facing a pristine snow covered mountain, and one can warm up inside on a bear skin in front of a huge cobblestone fireplace, sitting on a circular wooden bench fitted with animal pelts and sipping at a mango and pineapple smoothie mixed with a touch of grenadine – okay, he’s getting too carried away!

Scott has visited Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Iceland, France, Mexico, Austria, the Netherlands, Switzerland, England, and Hong Kong.

As can be deduced from the beginning of “Life II,” Scott loves brain teasers.

Related articles

• Book Feature (and Giveaways): Life II, by Scott Spotson

How Do You Decide what's Right for YA 12-? Fantasy Swirls Into Mature Subjects In My Opinion...

Cover of A Certain Slant of Light

Under the Light

By Laura Whitecomb


This novel is somewhat of a sequel, to A Certain Slant of Light, which I didn't read. There is, however, sufficient reference to what happened earlier to make this book free-standing. If you like the concept, I recommend you read the first before this one to understand fully what happened...

Because when a ghost takes over bodies, well, they don't exactly fill in for the individual who had left that body!

Let's me just summarize important events surmised from the first book: Two mature individuals went into two teenager bodies and were intimate. A picture of that event was taken, probably by the brother of the teenage boy.

The family of Jenny, the main character in this new book, is very religious. Helen, the body invader, was shall we say quite different in her responses from those that Jenny would have given...

Helen finally does make it into heaven, after having used a number of individuals as hosts, and who indeed may have been helped--can't be sure...However, Jenny's body had been empty so she took it completely... While in heaven, she realized that she may have damaged Jenny's life...Duh...

So she comes back...

Now, when I first started reading, I had to hold my personal feelings in...this book is listed for ages 12-   I guess I tend to be much more conservative in what is read at that age...

Reading something seems to give actions some credibility, don't you think?

In any event, during the time that Jenny is out of her body, which she had self-taught to herself, given the abuse from her father, and the "acceptance" of her mother, she meets a boy who apparently is also out of his body, although this book doesn't show how that happened.

When Jenny comes back into her body, she, of course, has no idea what has happened in the interim. Needless to say, the majority of the book has Jenny catching up on that time period. And trying to explain she knows nothing about these actions!

The trouble with this book is that it is beautifully written. By that I mean, it was an enjoyable read. Jenny was a girl that readers will enjoy--and understand. I'm not so sure about Helen, unless she thought that the real person was never going to return to that body? But having died in a flood, thinking her daughter was also dead, then having had traumatic thoughts right at the point of death that left her...a little unbalanced?

The only thing I totally approved of to be learned about from the novel is that Jenny was able to mature during the time that she faced prejudices, and, finally stand up to her rigid father's actions. Even though her mother remained a wimp toward an abusive husband...

I hope this author turns to adult books for the future, so that she can fully explore her creative fantasy and imagination. But I really don't think I can recommend this one for 12 and above... Read some other reviews to get further information or read some excerpts... The ones I would want to share would be giving away too much of the story... Anybody want to ask questions, I'll be glad to share more...


GABixlerReviews

Laura Whitcomb grew up in Pasadena, California in a mildly haunted house. She received her English degree at California State University at Northridge in 1993. She has taught Language Arts in California and Hawaii. She has won three Kay Snow Awards and was once runner up in the Bulwer-Lytton writing contest for the best first sentence of the worst Science Fiction novel never written. In her spare time she sings madrigals with the Sherwood Renaissance Singers and is the props mistress for the Portland Christmas Revels. She lives in Wilsonville, Oregon, with her son Robinson.

The movie rights for A Certain Slant of Light sold to Summit Entertainment, producer of the Twilight Saga movies. A Certain Slant of Light has been published in Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, German, Russian, Bulgarian, Polish, Turkish, and Taiwanese. The audio book is published by Listening Library. In 2005 ACSOL was also chosen for the "Discover Great New Writers" program at Barnes & Noble bookstores.

The Fetch was #5 in the top ten of Children's Indie Next List 2009 and was published as an audio book by Recorded Books. It was also published in Spanish and German.

Under the Light, the long-awaited sequel to ACSOL was published in May 2013. It will also be published in Taiwanese.