Friday, August 31, 2018

The Stone – Poem by Nada Adel Sobhi



They gather round
Humming,
A faint musical sound

Clap-ta-thum
Clap-ta-thum

A lone woman sings
Stars, hidden behind clouds, appear
Others; parents, children
All gather in a circle of magic

In the midst of a milling crowd
The songstress
Unravels a majestic stone,
A ruby, the size of a full-grown palm

Breaths caught,
Hearts drum
With the ever-growing hum

Clap-ta-thum
Clap-ta-thum

She sings to the world
Of the living
Those that have lived
And those yet to live

Some make out her words
Some don't
She goes on
Uninterrupted
Untethered
Tales must be told

Her song hitches into a whistle-like note
Her body moves beneath the unmoving moon
Her pitch reaches its full strength

Then she stops
Hands raised,
She takes the strength of all who'd gathered
And brings it all down
Into the magnificent ruby

Its light hue
Burns into the flaming red

A red
People far and wide could see

A stone
Of strength
Power
Virtue
Magic

She turns to the assembly

"This stone,
I gift to you.
May its strength
And magic
Heal you.
But first,
You must believe!"

The women hum
Clap, and with their legs, ta-thum
As the songstress disappears into the night

Hum, clap-ta-thum
Hum, clap-ta-thum


"The Stone" is inspired by a scene in THE TIDES BETWEEN by Elizabeth Jane Corbett, an interesting historical fiction about how fairy tales can help people on a journey.

You can check out Nadaness In Motion's five-star bookreview of The Tides Between.

Sunday, August 26, 2018

The Colonel and the Bee by Patrick Canning - Book Excerpt


Today, I'm featuring author Patrick Canning and his novel The Colonel and the Bee with an exclusive excerpt. The book has an interesting story line and I can't help but wonder about the jewel and the Sphinx!

Title: The Colonel and the Bee
Author: Patrick Canning
Categories: Literary, Adventure, Historical, Contemporary
Publisher: Evolved Publishing LLC
Publication Date: 1 June 2018
ISBN: 978-1-62253-024-3

Synopsis:
Beatrix, a spirited but abused acrobat in a traveling circus, seeks more than her prison-like employment offers. More than anything, she wants to know her place in the world of the halcyon 19th century, a time when the last dark corners of the map were being sketched out and travel still possessed a kind of magic.
One night in Switzerland, the mysterious Colonel James Bacchus attends Beatrix’s show.
This larger-than-life English gentleman, reputed to have a voracious appetite for female conquests, is most notable for traveling the world in a four-story hot air balloon called The Oxford Starladder.
Beatrix flees that night to join the Colonel and the two of them make a narrow escape—Beatrix from her abusive ringleader, the Colonel from a freshly made cuckold. Beatrix, feeling the Colonel may have the answers to her problems, pledges to help him catch the criminal he seeks in exchange for passage on his magnificent balloon.
The criminal seeks a precious figuring, The Blue Star Sphinx, but he’s not alone. The Sphinx’s immense value has also drawn the attention of the world’s most deadly treasure hunters. A murder in Antwerp begins a path of mystery that leads all the way to the most isolated island on earth.


Exclusive Excerpt to Nadaness In Motion from The Colonel and the Bee by Patrick Canning

“Flying the Ox is much more akin to playing an instrument than operating a machine. Approach the challenge less formally, do so with confidence, and the craft’s perfect obedience will be your reward.”
I lost sight of the burner strap and by accident pulled a vent on the main balloon. We began to rotate and descend with great rapidity. The Colonel allowed me to find the correct cord on my own, and I did so just in time as the Ox nearly scraped a rolling pasture hill, startling a herd of brown Belgian cows enough to sour their milk.
Taking care to avoid the ripping line, I continued to bring the Ox up, searching for the northwest wind. To my chagrin, I sent us southeast, and it took a deft intervention from the Colonel to set us right. Applying the correct pressure on the correct combination of cords in the correct sequence did indeed give him the appearance of an accomplished maestro.
“Skill comes with practice, and northwest can be elusive. Northeast can be downright tempestuous,” he said as if recalling a talented snooker rival.
I readied another question, but the Colonel anticipated me. He held up a gentle hand to stay the incoming query, motioned with both hands downward, indicating I should relax, then gestured to the edge of the Ox.
So worried I’d been about that morning’s lesson, I’d hardly taken a moment to observe our environment. I joined the Colonel at the railing, and became lightheaded with wonder. The full effect of flight had been disguised by darkness the previous night, and now, in the maturing light of dawn, I beheld a world transformed by perspective: rivers and mountains were maps come to life, trees were seas of leaves that shimmered emerald in the breeze, even birds flew at a height far below the Ox, moving like schools of fish in currents of wind.
“Toast my bloomin’ eyebrows,” I mumbled, forgoing any attempt at eloquence. “I didn’t know... I couldn’t have imagined...”
“Wonderful, isn’t it? From this height, we’re permitted to see plainly the orchestrations of daily life, rank with crisscrossing motives and the clutter of needless haste. Up here in the rarefied air we are weightless in cool æther, unspoiled by the odour and noise of man’s desires far below.”
We stood side by side, watching the scene in silence, until something in the distance stole the Colonel’s gaze.
“There. Antwerp on the horizon. Drink your leaf juice if you must.”
By now, all of the Manx were flying in a loose halo about the Ox, gently displacing the Belgian mist we floated in as they dove and twisted as birds in play.
“They have such charm and spirit,” I said.
“They detect my excitement. This visit could prove fruitful in our search for the criminal. He’s been most elusive thus far.”
“Do you know the murdered party?”
The Colonel’s face fell a note, but he recovered quickly.
“I’m interested in the criminal.”
“To bring him to justice?” I gulped my tea. “For this or a past transgression?”
“There is plenty to choose from. It is enough for you to know I seek an audience with the man.”
“He has committed other crimes?”
“Certainly.”
“Is he dangerous?”
Most certainly.”
I finished my tea as the green vegetation and black soil of tilled fields shifted to the red brick and grey stone of buildings. Antwerp’s harbour introduced itself to the nose long before the eyes.
The Colonel inhaled deeply.
“Have you been?” he asked.
I shook my head.
“A bastion of crime and seafood, how I adore this city. I apologise as it’s unlikely we’ll have time for a proper tour. Perhaps a return under less harried circumstances. Unfurl those ropes there, won’t you?”
The spiderweb of roadways below passed ever faster as we descended. I let drop a collection of heavy ropes over the side of the Ox as the Colonel set her down in a rather regal park. Despite the posh surroundings, there was an air of danger. Apparently, the Colonel felt it too.
“No chance we’re deflating here,” he said. “Down the steps with you. Help secure us.”

About the Author:

Patrick spends as much time as possible turning coffee into collections of words that look like books, shorts, and screenplays. Most of his stories attempt to look for the meaning of life in an adventurous way, and often employ humor, important since the search usually doesn’t turn up much.


Friday, August 24, 2018

The Tides Between by Elizabeth Jane Corbett – Book Review


Book: The Tides Between
Author: Elizabeth Jane Corbett
Publisher: Odyssey Books
Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Travel, Relationships

Synopsis:
In the year 1841, on the eve of her departure from London, Bridie's mother demands she forget her dead father and prepare for a sensible adult life in Port Phillip. Desperate to save her childhood, fifteen-year-old Bridie is determined to smuggle a notebook filled with her father's fairy tales to the far side of the world.
When Rhys Bevan, a soft-voiced young storyteller and fellow traveller realises Bridie is hiding something, a magical friendship is born. But Rhys has his own secrets and the words written in Bridie’s notebook carry a dark double meaning.
As they inch towards their destination, Rhys's past returns to haunt him. Bridie grapples with the implications of her dad’s final message. The pair take refuge in fairy tales, little expecting the trouble it will cause.


Book Review

“Painful, it is, when the words that once brought comfort seem to lose their voice. It’s not the stories that are at fault. Or that we are foolish to believe. Only that we must learn to see with different eyes. Sometimes it takes time and the answers aren’t always easy – that’s part of the magic. But we are never too old for fairy tales, Bridie Stewart, no matter what Alf or your Ma might say.”

The Tides Between by Elizabeth Jane Corbett is an emotional story about family, hardship, a journey to something better, and how fairy tales can bring people together.

Bridie, the protagonist, whose name I’d been reading as Birdie until half-way through the book, is a kind-hearted 15-year-old who is on the cusp of growing up. She is seen clinging to a notebook her father bought her before he died and her mother trying to wrench it away from her, demanding that she grow up and leave the world of fairy tales behind her.


The book begins with Bridie finding some form of solace in Rhys and later Sian, away from her demanding, and often cruel mother and her "stupid" stepfather, who "the subtleties of life often eluded him."

The story brings together a host of characters and their families. There is Bridie, her pregnant and bad-tempered mother, and her stepfather Alf, as well as the Welsh couple Rhys and Sian, Dr. Roberts, and many more. The book shows their relationships, both personal and towards their fellow travellers, and how they grow and weaken as they traverse the seas all the way to Australia for what is touted as a better life with lots of jobs.

“Fairy tales are nonsense.”
“We all need stories, Mr. Bustle. They help us understand our lives.”

One of the things I liked about The Tides Between is the storytelling. There are lots of stories within the novel itself, many of Welsh origin, told by Rhys and his wife Sian. There are also a lot of songs and poetry.

The pace is good, even though not many events take place. Events in this book are in the sense that people are coming and going and the rise-and-fall of their relationships and, actions, reactions. Nearly the entire story is told onboard the Lady Sophia which is travelling from London in the 1840’s to Australia.

“Every piece of music held a story, her dad told her – a thread that attached itself to the heart. She’d become attuned to those threads, growing up to the strains of Mozart’s Magic Flute, and Purcell’s music for The Tempest, hearing tales of fairy queens, Arabian nights and midsummer dreams – this was a sad song, quite apart from Peachum and his cronies in the Beggars’ Opera. A long haunting melody that spoke of sadness and longing.”

I absolutely loved the characters in The Tides Between, how they mingled together, even the obnoxious Tom and the silly but kind Alf. I also liked how Corbett weaves her characters’ background into the stories. We learn about Rhys’ relationship with his father, Sian’s possible curse, the relationship between Bridie’s parents and others.

As the Lady Sofia nears Australia, Bridie begins to merge her childhood with the responsibilities bestowed on her; she begins to see her stepfather, Alf, in a new light. Alf along with several other characters also see some development.

There are many great images in the book and even stronger quotes and dialogue. By the time, I finished reading The Tides Between, I felt that the characters had become a part of my life.

It is worth mentioning that The Tides Between is not your average read. There is no major mystery or nerve-wrecking suspense. But it is a story about characters, about people. It is deep, emotional, and a must-read.

I would also like to mention that there was a scene that inspired me to write my poem "The Stone"

“We are all of us running, Tom, from poverty and disappointment, perhaps, some of us from cruel expectations. It takes courage to see ourselves truly, to take pleasure in our modest achievements. I’m not sure I have that courage. Or that I will ever now find it. Pray God, I am wrong. That like Elffin, I will one day find wealth where I least expect it.”

Overall rating for The Tides Between: 5 stars

Note: I received a free copy of The Tides Between from its author Elizabeth Jane Corbett in exchange for an honest review. The free copy has not impacted my review in any way.


About the Author:

When Elizabeth Jane Corbett isn’t writing, she works as a librarian, teaches Welsh at the Melbourne Welsh Church, writes articles for the Historical Novel Review and blogs at www.elizabethjanecorbett.com.

In 2009, her short-story, Beyond the Blackout Curtain, won the Bristol Short Story Prize. Another, Silent Night, was short listed for the Allan Marshall Short Story Award. Her historical coming-of-age novel, The Tides Between, was published by Odyssey Books in October 2017.
Elizabeth lives with her husband, in a renovated timber cottage in Melbourne's inner-north. She likes red shoes, dark chocolate, commuter cycling, and reading quirky, character driven novels set once-upon-a-time in lands far away.


Connect with Elizabeth Jane Corbett via Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and her Website.

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Let it Rip! - Poem by Nada Adel Sobhi



"Let us burn!
Let us burn!"

So the woman sings
Her voice ringing
In my ears
Before me the sea rises
Can it hear her too?
 
My view. Photography by Nada Adel Sobhi

The music calms
So does the blue
In anticipation
I expect
Only to beat
At the immovable rocks
Once the beat picks up

"Let us burn!"
But I hear the sea
It says
"LET IT RIP!"


By: Nada Adel Sobhi

Written while listening to "Let Us burn" by Within Temptation. Read it again while listening to the song!



Hope you enjoyed reading "Let it Rip!"
Please let me know what you think. You can also share it on social media. 
You can tag me on FacebookTwitterPinterest, and/or Instagram.



Sunday, August 19, 2018

Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Disappearing Diva - Book Review

Book: Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Disappearing Diva
Authors: Gemma Halliday and Kelly Rey
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Humour
(2nd in Series – can be read as a standalone)
Publisher: Gemma Halliday Publishing
Publication date: 14 August 2018
Print Length: 316 pages
ASIN: B07DP3NBH7

Synopsis:

From #1 Kindle and New York Times bestselling author Gemma Halliday and USA Today bestselling author Kelly Rey comes a story about Sherlock Holmes, two savvy female detectives, and one chance to catch a killer and the hot Dr. Watson at the same time…

If there's one thing Martha "Marty" Hudson can't say no to, it's her best friend Irene Adler. So when Irene's little white lie about a fake detective named Sherlock Holmes turns into a real case from an actual paying client, Marty is all in. But their simple missing person case takes a deadly turn when the missing "person" ends up being a missing corpse.

Rebecca Lowery was an opera singer in life and, according to her sister, who hires the famous detective to find her, a diva with capital D. When her body goes missing after a supposedly accidental fall, Marty & Irene can think of several people who might want the diva to disappear permanently—especially if her missing body is actually hiding evidence of her murder. Is it the boyfriend with a temper and a shady record, the jealous understudy who's now stealing the show, the creepy undertaker with possible ties to the underworld, or the estranged sister herself who now inherits everything?

Marty and Irene aim to find out, even while trying to keep cool around the hot ME, Dr. Watson, and dodging questions from the Irregulars blogger, Wiggins, about the mysterious man behind the name Sherlock Holmes. Will the ladies be able to pull this one off? Or are they in over their heads…and possibly about to take their own final bows?

BOOK REVIEW BY NADANESS IN MOTION
  
Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Disappearing Diva by Gemma Halliday and Kelly Rey is an exciting, fast-paced, highly enjoyable cozy mystery. I loved every bit of it.

The book has all the aspects Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes is popular for – but differently. Holmes "hardly a celebrity. Especially considering he didn't actually exist" is how the book begins. The address for the now popular but elusive detective is in Baker Street, while Irene Adler is the narrator's best friend and main accomplice in creating the detective façade. Let's not forget Dr. Watson. ;)  

Martha "Marty" Hudson and Irene Adler are confronted with a strange case of a missing corpse. A Barbara Lowery claims that upon coming to the local mortuary, she discovers that the woman they were to bury is not her sister, Rebecca, a play singer.

"I tried to file a missing persons report but…well, I guess that wasn't quiet the right division."
Missing Corpses Division? Irene typed.

Marty and Irene begin to search for clues leading up to the "disappearing diva" and as they trudge in the investigation, they discover that Rebecca was more than disliked by a few people. Several with motives to take her out of the spotlight.

"So what about Rebecca did someone not want seen?"

The novel is narrated from Marty's first person perspective, showing Marty's constant fear of getting their fake "Sherlock Holmes" business discovered by the police. She is down to earth, and while it would be normal for her millionaire best friend to take the spotlight, I liked that the authors made Marty the narrator. She's also funny and smart and I particularly liked how she began following the clues that made up Rebecca's life prior to her death.

"He pushed up his sleeves, the better to intimidate us with his Popeye forearms."

One of the things I loved about Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Disappearing Diva is the use of "show don't tell" and the humour. The book is simply hilarious! Both Marty and Irene are cynical and the encounters and people they face make for great laughs.

"Do you think we should knock on that door?"
"I think we should leave and never come back," Irene said. "Rebecca Lowery probably jumped out of her casket and ran off by herself when she got a look at this place."

We also get a bit of romance as Marty crushes over Dr. Watson, whose appearances though few are important. The reader can't help but hope for a happy ending for the may-be-couple.

Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Disappearing Diva is five-star must-read by all levels. It's pace is fast and as the duo run around trying to solve the mystery and get paid – because Marty's inherited house is falling apart – the reader can't help but keep reading to find out who "misplaced" Rebecca and why.


Note: I received a free copy of Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Disappearing Diva in exchange for an honest review as part of the blog tour.


Add the book on Goodreads.





Keep up with the rest of the blog tour via Lori Great Escapes including author interviews, guest posts, and more reviews.


About the Author:

Gemma Halliday is the New York Times, USA Today & #1 Kindle bestselling author of the High Heels Mysteries, the Hollywood Headlines Mysteries, the Jamie Bond Mysteries, the Tahoe Tessie Mysteries, the Marty Hudson Mysteries, and several other works.
Gemma's books have received numerous awards, including a Golden Heart, two National Reader's Choice awards, a RONE award, and three RITA nominations. She currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her boyfriend, Jackson Stein, who writes vampire thrillers, and their four children, who are adorably distracting on a daily basis.

Connect with Gemma Halliday via her Website and Facebook page.
  
Purchase Links: Amazon B & N iBooks Kobo Smashwords

Friday, August 10, 2018

Interview with Indie author Jeremiah Davis

Today, I'm featuring Jeremiah Davis. He is the author of several books, including Heir and The Chaos Theory. His latest The Hunt for the Great Beasts, Book 1: Water is the first in a series.

Set in a post-war society, the new series follows the remainder of humanity trying to survive and deal with four giant mythical beasts that have come after them.

More about the new series and this young indie author in the exclusive interview below!



Nadaness In Motion: Tell us a bit about yourself and your writing journey.
Jeremiah Davis: I was born in Chicago, Illinois as the only child of my mother. I spent a few years in the city moving around, but eventually moved out to the suburb of Homewood, Illinois. There, I attended grammar and middle school, and during this time was when I began to write. During 4th and 5th grade, I wrote little stick figure comics alongside some of my friends, and we were planning to sell them. We didn’t, and they eventually got bored with it, but I didn’t. Instead of comics though, I started writing little books. I would use regular loose leaf paper and create stacks of about forty or fifty sheets; I would staple them together, write stories, and usually just keep them. I didn’t really make them to publish; I mostly made them for myself. 
Due to bullying and social issues, I left Homewood after the 8th grade and went back to Chicago for high school. I stopped writing during my freshmen year, mostly due to lack of time, but continued reading. Two years passed and it was during the winter of my junior year when I began to write again. It started when I watched an anime called ToraDora (aka Tiger Dragon). It’s about romance, and it made me cry my eyes out; it motivated me to create something that would make me proud to call my own, and thus I began writing again. Unlike the romance based anime, the story I started working on shortly after was tied to mythology and world domination, which are sub-genres that are very interesting to me. Once I finished my book,  I published it with the help of my mother and Amazon, and have not looked back since.

Nadaness In Motion: Who are your favorite authors (past or contemporary)?
JD: When I was younger, I enjoyed the “Hunger Games” series as well as “The Mortal Instruments” series. Though I like the way these two series are done, I can’t necessarily say the writers of either one is my favorite. However, I will say that they do a wonderful job at creating very imaginative universes. My favorite author is Scott Westerfield, creator of the “Leviathan” series.

Nadaness In Motion: Is The Hunt for the Great Beasts Book 1 your first book? What were your previous publications?
JD: No, it is my fourth book. My first book was, “The Chaos Conspiracy,” which I wrote a sequel for called, “The Demons Design.” My third book was a standalone called, “Heir.” The first two are about a man trying to rule the world through godly means, and the third is about three brothers trying to maintain their kingdom after the death of their father.

Nadaness In Motion: How did the idea of the beasts first come to you? (Are any of them monsters that we know from mythology or are they created from scratch?)
JD: I created them from scratch.

Nadaness In Motion: Can you give us a brief idea about the series as a whole? What can readers expect from later books?
JD: The series as a whole will follow a hunter by the name of Curtis and those he travels with. I want it to be a cautionary tale as well as a great read, with a hint of real world influence. It will primarily focus on the hunting of the “Great Beasts,” but also give insight into a society that is trying to rebuild after its previous failures.

Nadaness In Motion: You mentioned 4 books, how far done are you with the remaining three?
JD: I haven’t even started thinking about the fourth book. Right now, I am still trying to come up with an outline for the second and third, but I haven’t begun writing either of them yet. I have a picture, but I’m still trying to make sure I like it.



Nadaness In Motion: Do you write one book at a time, or do scenes pop up in your mind and you add them to the other books' drafts till you get to them?
JD: Usually, I write one book at a time, but I am starting to create outlines for any ideas I get, so that I don’t miss out on what could be a great story. Right now, I have one book in the works, and two outlines for two different types of novels.

Nadaness In Motion: The book name mentions water, will all the beasts (I assume) be related to the elements?
JD: Yes, all four are tied to the four elements: water, earth, air, and fire.

Nadaness In Motion: What was the biggest challenge you face while writing your books and how did you overcome it?
JD: My biggest challenge at first was spelling. Sometimes, my mind is going so fast that my fingers can barely keep up, and I had to learn to slow down when I formulate a story.

Author Jeremiah Davis
Nadaness In Motion: Are you an indie author? Can you tell us about your publishing journey?
JD: Yes, I am completely independent. I have found that my biggest help is the web and people such as you; without reviewers or people who bring attention to smaller authors, I probably wouldn’t even show up on a google search. Advertising can be a very hit or miss situation, and when you pay for it, you mostly expect results; however, I have found that it can work well some times and fail others. I try to use social media to my benefit, but I find that since I am not the most active or popular person, most of my posts go ignored and overlooked. I still have hope though, and will never quit trying; as I continue to write, I try to sharpen my marketing skills as well as my writing ones. Instead of posting only once about an upcoming book, I now post once or twice a week; I make sure my followers can get to the book or my website easily on all of my social media accounts. It takes time, but I am happy to do it, because I know it will pay off.

Nadaness In Motion: Is there anything you'd like to add?
JD: I didn’t mention that I am attending Morehouse in the fall of 2018. Though it does not have to do with my writing, I just thought it might be a fun fact. Thank you so much.

Get in touch and connect with Jeremiah Davis via Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads, and Blog.