I planned on coming home from the LDStorymakers conference and blogging right away about the good time I had—I bought 13 books and had all but one signed by their respective authors—and she was there, I just never ‘found’ her.
They’re all books I’m anxious to read and I wondered which one I should read and critique first. As it happened, I managed to get all of the books except one into my suitcase, and since it’s a 15 hour drive from Provo to my little neck of the woods, I enlisted the help of my passengers and asked them to take turns with the driving.
What did I do? Sleep? No way! I opened Chocolate Roses by Joan Sowards and began the journey. Chocolate Roses is a Jane Eyre parody. I read Jane a year or so ago and wondered how closely Joan would follow the original. I’ve had people say that I’m cruel to my characters, but I’m mild in comparison to Charlotte Bronte.
I found Joan’s rendition engrossing from the first page. Chocolate Roses, is, of course modernized and Jane is Janie—an aging (meaning in her late twenties) and single LDS woman who co-owns a chocolate shop in downtown Tempe Arizona where she turns chocolate into artistic creations. Unfortunately, she samples far too much of her own work and it has settled on her hips causing the available men to shy away.
Tired of hanging out at single’s wards, Janie has opted to attend her local family ward even though doing so lessens her chance of ever finding a husband. I grew up in the area where this story is set—near the Mesa AZ temple. Joan was a lot more diplomatic in her description of the ward that we always called the “newlywed or nearly dead” ward, meaning that many of the people in that area have lived there for longer than some of us have been alive.
Every Tuesday at 9AM, the love of Janie’s life walks into her chocolate store and orders one chocolate rose and has it delivered to a private facility for the mentally unstable, and another, smaller chocolate that he takes with him.
It isn’t until he unwittingly moves into the small apartment next to her that Janie realizes he has a daughter, and it’s shortly after when Janie discovers that he’s married.
There are many similarities that one familiar with Jane Eyre would recognize; however, Joan has added a fun twist to the classic tale. Mr. Wentworth (not Mr. Rochester) and his wife were witnesses to a murder. On Roger Wentworth’s testimony, one of the culprits was put in prison and a woman accomplice spent some time in jail, but was let out early because they didn’t have a solid case against her. This starts a series of threats, kidnappings and attempted murder.
Chocolate Roses is beautifully written and I found myself immersed in the characters and their story. My heart wrenched with Janie as she struggled with her emotions and her love for an unavailable man. I heartily recommend it.
Showing posts with label romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label romance. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Monday, January 4, 2010
Author interview with Rachel Rager
I have the opportunity today of interviewing Rachel Rager, the author of By Love or By Sea, a novel that I reviewed here several months ago.
Rachel, what was your inspiration for this story?
I was writing my second story and was in the shower one day when I came up with the idea for By Love or By Sea. (By Love or By Sea is the third story I wrote. The first and second are prequels to By Love or By Sea but not published.)I wrote down some notes and when I was done with the one I was working on, I began By Love or By Sea.
I guess I should fess up to one little secret. Caleb Newman was inspired by my little brother. Though my brother is quite different than Caleb, he has a similar build and attitude. My brother once dropped a plant in his bedroom, spilling soil all over the carpet while he was talking on the phone to a girl he didn’t particularly care for. And, not wanting my mother to hang him for making a mess on the carpet, but not knowing how to get off the phone with the girl, he decided to vacuum up the mess while on the phone! That made me laugh so hard and it just felt like something Caleb would do (if he lived in today’s world!) So, there you have it!
What is the setting of your book?
~The setting of my story is purely fictional. If I had to actually state a location on a map, I’d say it was somewhere between the Netherlands and Belgium. Originally Belgium was a part of the Netherlands but they rebelled and in 1830 or so, gained their independence. In my mind, this kingdom is simply a small section of the land in between—neither here nor there. Obviously I took some liberties. Since this kingdom exists in my mind, the weather obeys my every desire! (evil chuckle)
Who are your main characters?
~Alice Lind Frank grew up as a kitchen servant before moving in with her grandparents. Suffering heartache as a young girl, she has chosen a path that will keep her safe from heartbreak but it will also keep her from happiness.
Caleb Newman is a sailor who was assumed dead after his ship sank. Missing for six years, he finally returns to put the pieces of his life back together. Unfortunately, his childhood sweetheart is nearly engaged to the local shipyard owner and his own dark past hangs over him.
Clarence Hielott is the local shipyard owner and hates everything about Caleb Newman. However, Clarence is nearly engaged to Alice and he and Caleb struggle to capture her heart.
There is also the colorful, sour, and miserable Betsy Winters. Having endured her own heartache, she is a thorn in everyone’s side and never passes up the opportunity to make her opinions known.
In what ways do you think you are like them?
~I think there’s probably a little of me in all my characters. I have always loved the idea of loving someone from childhood. (Though I can’t think of anyone from my childhood I wish I’d loved.) Unfortunately, I am like Alice in that I was engaged to my husband but had a hard time pushing another boy away from me. I enjoyed his friendship, and though he liked me more than I did him, I selfishly wanted his friendship and had a difficult time letting him go. I also have always been terrified of thunderstorms, though I’m not as bad as Alice.
In what ways are you different?
~I’d like to say I’m very different from my characters. That they all live separate lives from me. But I’m sure I had some influences on them. One marked difference is that I would never dream (okay, I’d probably dream it but never have the guts) to stand up to an old bitty like Betsy Winters the way Alice does.
What is your favorite scene in the book?
~My personal favorite scene is when Alice and Caleb are picking cherries in her grandparents’ orchard! I love tart cherries and used to pick them as a kid at my own grandparents’ house. For some reason, I love the flirting, secrets, and kisses shared in this scene!
After you wrote the book, how long did it take you to get it published?
~From writing the first word until I held the published book, it was just under five years. After I wrote the book, I immersed myself in learning the proper way to submit the manuscript. I think after all the edits were made and the book was finished, it took a year and a half to publish.
Have you been published before?
~No.
How did the publisher let you know your book was being considered for publication?
~One day, actually the day my brother got home from his mission, I got an email saying CFI wanted to publish By Love or By Sea along with a contract.
What did you do when you found out your book was being published?
~ I started jumping up and down, screaming and crying. My seven-year-old daughter looked at me as though I had lost my mind!
Please share a brief description of your book.
~ Alice Lind Frank never forgot the boy she loved when she was just six years old, even after he was lost at sea. Now a young woman, Alice has found happiness in living and working with her grandparents, and in the affections of Clarence Hielott, the wealthy shipyard owner who intends to make Alice his bride.
When a ragged sailor appears in town, Alice is reminded of the young boy who once held her heart. Upon learning that the sailor is in fact her childhood love, Caleb, she finds herself falling for him again.
But Clarence refuses to let this ghost from the past destroy his plans for the future. He exposes the secrets of Caleb’s past, and Alice realizes that the boy she once knew is now a man with a dark history. Soon Caleb and Clarence are locked in a fierce competition for Alice’s heart.
Can Alice overcome her fears and surrender her heart to Caleb once more? And what will she do about Clarence? Action, adventure, and most of all, romance, make By love or By Sea a thrilling and emotional love story you won’t soon forget.
Where can we purchase a copy of your book?
~Segullbook, Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Cedar Fort, Inc.
Rachel Rager
By Love or By Sea
http://www.rachelrager.com/
http://rachelrager.blogspot.com/
http://cedarfortauthors.blogspot.com/
I was writing my second story and was in the shower one day when I came up with the idea for By Love or By Sea. (By Love or By Sea is the third story I wrote. The first and second are prequels to By Love or By Sea but not published.)I wrote down some notes and when I was done with the one I was working on, I began By Love or By Sea.
I guess I should fess up to one little secret. Caleb Newman was inspired by my little brother. Though my brother is quite different than Caleb, he has a similar build and attitude. My brother once dropped a plant in his bedroom, spilling soil all over the carpet while he was talking on the phone to a girl he didn’t particularly care for. And, not wanting my mother to hang him for making a mess on the carpet, but not knowing how to get off the phone with the girl, he decided to vacuum up the mess while on the phone! That made me laugh so hard and it just felt like something Caleb would do (if he lived in today’s world!) So, there you have it!
What is the setting of your book?
~The setting of my story is purely fictional. If I had to actually state a location on a map, I’d say it was somewhere between the Netherlands and Belgium. Originally Belgium was a part of the Netherlands but they rebelled and in 1830 or so, gained their independence. In my mind, this kingdom is simply a small section of the land in between—neither here nor there. Obviously I took some liberties. Since this kingdom exists in my mind, the weather obeys my every desire! (evil chuckle)
Who are your main characters?
~Alice Lind Frank grew up as a kitchen servant before moving in with her grandparents. Suffering heartache as a young girl, she has chosen a path that will keep her safe from heartbreak but it will also keep her from happiness.
Caleb Newman is a sailor who was assumed dead after his ship sank. Missing for six years, he finally returns to put the pieces of his life back together. Unfortunately, his childhood sweetheart is nearly engaged to the local shipyard owner and his own dark past hangs over him.
Clarence Hielott is the local shipyard owner and hates everything about Caleb Newman. However, Clarence is nearly engaged to Alice and he and Caleb struggle to capture her heart.
There is also the colorful, sour, and miserable Betsy Winters. Having endured her own heartache, she is a thorn in everyone’s side and never passes up the opportunity to make her opinions known.
In what ways do you think you are like them?
~I think there’s probably a little of me in all my characters. I have always loved the idea of loving someone from childhood. (Though I can’t think of anyone from my childhood I wish I’d loved.) Unfortunately, I am like Alice in that I was engaged to my husband but had a hard time pushing another boy away from me. I enjoyed his friendship, and though he liked me more than I did him, I selfishly wanted his friendship and had a difficult time letting him go. I also have always been terrified of thunderstorms, though I’m not as bad as Alice.
In what ways are you different?
~I’d like to say I’m very different from my characters. That they all live separate lives from me. But I’m sure I had some influences on them. One marked difference is that I would never dream (okay, I’d probably dream it but never have the guts) to stand up to an old bitty like Betsy Winters the way Alice does.
What is your favorite scene in the book?
~My personal favorite scene is when Alice and Caleb are picking cherries in her grandparents’ orchard! I love tart cherries and used to pick them as a kid at my own grandparents’ house. For some reason, I love the flirting, secrets, and kisses shared in this scene!
After you wrote the book, how long did it take you to get it published?
~From writing the first word until I held the published book, it was just under five years. After I wrote the book, I immersed myself in learning the proper way to submit the manuscript. I think after all the edits were made and the book was finished, it took a year and a half to publish.
Have you been published before?
~No.
How did the publisher let you know your book was being considered for publication?
~One day, actually the day my brother got home from his mission, I got an email saying CFI wanted to publish By Love or By Sea along with a contract.
What did you do when you found out your book was being published?
~ I started jumping up and down, screaming and crying. My seven-year-old daughter looked at me as though I had lost my mind!
Please share a brief description of your book.
~ Alice Lind Frank never forgot the boy she loved when she was just six years old, even after he was lost at sea. Now a young woman, Alice has found happiness in living and working with her grandparents, and in the affections of Clarence Hielott, the wealthy shipyard owner who intends to make Alice his bride.
When a ragged sailor appears in town, Alice is reminded of the young boy who once held her heart. Upon learning that the sailor is in fact her childhood love, Caleb, she finds herself falling for him again.
But Clarence refuses to let this ghost from the past destroy his plans for the future. He exposes the secrets of Caleb’s past, and Alice realizes that the boy she once knew is now a man with a dark history. Soon Caleb and Clarence are locked in a fierce competition for Alice’s heart.
Can Alice overcome her fears and surrender her heart to Caleb once more? And what will she do about Clarence? Action, adventure, and most of all, romance, make By love or By Sea a thrilling and emotional love story you won’t soon forget.
Where can we purchase a copy of your book?
~Segullbook, Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Cedar Fort, Inc.
Rachel Rager
By Love or By Sea
http://www.rachelrager.com/
http://rachelrager.blogspot.com/
http://cedarfortauthors.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Need a good book to read? Here's a review of one I recently read.
The Stranger She Married by Donna Hatch is an intriguing romance set in 1818 England, but it is also a compelling tale of murder and revenge.
Poor Alicia is still mourning the loss of both parents and her twin brother when her uncle insists she find a rich husband in order to save the family estate and keep them all from debtor’s prison. The best way to do that is by attending a ball with lots of wealthy bachelors. It is here that she meets the dashing, and very eligible Cole (Lord Amesbury).
He has several opportunities throughout the evening (and the book) to save Alicia and therefore cement him to her heart. However, she discovers that Cole is responsible for the death of her twin and realizes that she cannot trust her foolish heart to make wise choices. Cole is immediately smitten with the naïve and innocent Alicia and longs for her forgiveness and love.
I worried through the whole story how the two, who obviously loved each other, would end up with their happily ever after since Cole had arranged for Alicia to marry his cousin, and then I laughed with delight at the cleverness with which the author resolved their dilemma. As soon as I was finished reading it the first time, I turned to page one and read it again.
The Stranger She Married by Donna Hatch is an intriguing romance set in 1818 England, but it is also a compelling tale of murder and revenge.
Poor Alicia is still mourning the loss of both parents and her twin brother when her uncle insists she find a rich husband in order to save the family estate and keep them all from debtor’s prison. The best way to do that is by attending a ball with lots of wealthy bachelors. It is here that she meets the dashing, and very eligible Cole (Lord Amesbury).
He has several opportunities throughout the evening (and the book) to save Alicia and therefore cement him to her heart. However, she discovers that Cole is responsible for the death of her twin and realizes that she cannot trust her foolish heart to make wise choices. Cole is immediately smitten with the naïve and innocent Alicia and longs for her forgiveness and love.
I worried through the whole story how the two, who obviously loved each other, would end up with their happily ever after since Cole had arranged for Alicia to marry his cousin, and then I laughed with delight at the cleverness with which the author resolved their dilemma. As soon as I was finished reading it the first time, I turned to page one and read it again.
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