A Different Kind of Hero - Guest Post

By: Jennifer Carole Lewis (author)

I have been reading romance novels since I was a teenager.  I quickly learned to find the hidden troves at my friends’ houses and over and over I fell in love with the dark, brooding romantic heroes.  I imagined countless scenarios of being swept away by some lovely lethal man.  A guy who knew what to do if being attacked by terrorists and could single-handedly scale castle walls, that was my kind of guy.  If he could also have a tortured soul where he constantly strove to overcome his perceived sins, even better.

Between comic books, action movies and romance novels, I had my fill of dark heroes to pick from.  But then there began to be a shift.  More and more kick-ass women began appearing as the heroes, not needing any man to show them how to handle a roundhouse kick or firearm.  I shifted from wanting to date the heroes to wanting to be the heroes.  Buffy, Xena, Karen McCoy from The Real McCoy, Huntress from the Batman universe (and I realize I am revealing more than I want about how old I am), all of them were strong, capable women with quick wits and faster feet.

But there was something a little unsatisfying in my new-found revelry.  I have always been a romantic at heart and the romantic entanglements of my favorite heroines bothered me.  Either they stayed solo (any guy who loved them died before the closing credits) or they were paired with alpha males who regulated them to the sidelines in an effort to keep them safe.  If they did find a supportive male, the relationship was often doomed to fail.  Sometimes it was even explicitly stated that their boyfriends couldn’t handle being less than them in a relationship.

Picture found online

It got me thinking.  Could there be a romantic hero who was strong and capable but able to accept a woman who might be stronger and more competent than him?  Otherwise, weren’t these stories still reinforcing the old worn-out advice that women have to be less in order to get a man?

I got at least part of my wish with the television series, Castle.  The hero, Richard Castle, is a writer who brings his ability to make wild leaps of faith and unseen connections to help Kate Beckett, an NYPD detective.  Beckett is stronger than Castle in almost every way.  She’s better with a gun and she doesn’t get tripped up dealing with dangerous suspects.  Part of Beckett’s appeal to Castle is that she strong.  I loved it.

But I still wasn’t completely satisfied.  Finally, I created my own hero, Michael, a child therapist with martial arts training, an enthusiasm for comic books and the ability to pick up emotions and information through touching the people and objects around him.  He’s no weakling or comedy sidekick, but his strength is in his heart and faith.  He sees all the darkness in the world, all the terrible secrets we hide from each other, but still manages to be idealistic and optimistic.  He’s the perfect counterpart (if I dare say so myself) for my dark, brooding heroine, Dani, who tortures herself for her past mistakes.

One of the things I love about romance novels is how they are continually evolving.  Forty years ago, it would have been unthinkable to have a heroine who wasn’t a virgin, let alone one in her forties and fifties.  The heroes used to be criminally violent and now they range from sweet boys next door to the powerful alpha males.  The stories they tell plumb every aspect of human existence.  They’ve branched into fantasy and science fiction sub-genres (and many others, but those were the ones I got particularly excited about).  They offer every level of sensuality, from sweet to scorching.  I’m proud to have added my own variation to the classic tale of boy-meets-girl.

Jennifer Carole Lewis is also the author of Revelations. Check out the first chapter of her novel here.

About the Author:

Jennifer Carole Lewis is a full-time mom, a full-time administrator and a full-time writer, which means she is very much interested in speaking to anyone who comes up with any form of functional time-travel devices or practical cloning methods.  Meanwhile, she spends her most of her time alternating between organizing and typing.

She is a devoted comic book geek and Marvel movie enthusiast.  She spends far too much of her precious free time watching TV, especially police procedural dramas.  Her enthusiasm outstrips her talent in karaoke, cross-stitch and jigsaw puzzles.  She is a voracious reader of a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction and always enjoys seeking out new suggestions.

Author links:

https://twitter. com/jclewisupdate

https://www. facebook. com/pages/Jennifer-Carole-Lewis/266116980245327

http://www. pastthemirror. com/

Cover reveal for Ruth Silver's Stolen Art

Stolen Art

By: Ruth Silver

Genre: YA, Sci-Fi, Adventure

Expected Publication Date: 4 May, 2015

Published by: Lazy Day Publishing

Blurb:

Sixteen-year-old Madeline has been living on the streets, biding her time until she's eighteen. With little to no money, she takes on a heist in hopes of making ends meet. What could possibly go wrong?

Everything.

Getting caught is just the beginning of Madeline's adventure as she meets Weston and discovers the secret of where she came from.

Nadaness news, updates & giveaways

I've wanted to do a sort of quarterly report on my reading progress and keep my readers/fans/friends updated on Takhayyal and other ongoing bits on the blog.

This week, I decided to make my Takhayyal prompts once every two weeks instead of weekly to give myself and others time to write.

Takhayyal Week 7 and Week 8 both got more responses when the prompt was extended. (updated note)

I'm feeling optimistic and excited about the prompt for week 8, which was posted last week. So starting that, prompts will be two weeks long.

As for my reading progress, I've crammed myself so much in March to the extent that it was hectic and tiresome for me. But luckily, my reads were amazing and made up for my mistakes.

Although I read or finished around four books in March, Goodreads has me at "One book behind" in my reading challenge for 2014.

I must say, I'm lagging behind on The Sham by Ellen Alan, which is very embarrassing. I signed up for several tours and these are bound by dates, so I had to put Ellen's book aside for a bit till I can meet my deadlines.

I also haven't started on my New Year's Resolution of reading Arabic books – again this because of book tours and review requests, all of which are in English.

Hopefully, I'll have more time to do my Arabic readings in May and June. (I don't think I'll have time in April, which is almost half way through).

I want to thank authors, who accept my delays and postponements in posting reviews. Recently, someone asked for a review and I told them I'm book till June – which is true – and they said they didn't mind. It really made me feel appreciated.

Here is a list of the reviews of books I read in March:

Seasons of Time by Miriam Khan

Bound by Spells by Stormy Smith

Just Pru by Anne Pfeffer

Insanity (Mad in Wonderland, book 1) by Cameron Jace

The Outcast Star by I.M. Tu

I recently announced a massive YA giveaway. Yesterday, I won two books from the giveaway! More on my to-read list but I just couldn't miss the opportunity.

I hope others have won what they wanted too.

I compiled a list of ongoing giveaways, while the massive YA one has ended, the others are still in progress, so hurry up and get a chance to win one or more of these amazing books. Check them out here.

Several of these giveaways are via my blog so you have a bigger chance of winning.

Having read 8 out of 36 books in my 2015 reading, I have so far covered 22% of my target, which I was hoping to take up a notch to 40 books – but that's for another time.

This week I started reading Sun Tzu's The Art of War. This is the first paperback I've held – to read - in almost a year (buying from bookshops and the book fair don't count as holding). It feels strange when you want to highlight something and you're afraid you'll spoil the book. I got used to highlighting and writing notes on my Kindle.

My upcoming reviews for April are: (in particular order)

The Sham by Ellen Alan

The Huntress by Nadja Losbohom

Family Secrets by Kat Nicols (less than a week before the giveaway for her book ends, check the above link)

I almost forgot!

In March, I hosted our first Poetry Recital for 2015 at Cairo University.

In April, I'll be moderating a seminar with scholar and translator Samah Selim also at Cairo University on Thursday, 16 April, 2015. The theme of the seminar is "Why We Translate: Some Notes on Love, Loss and Longing".

Wish me luck!

Check out the Facebook event here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/420375108123935/

I am also considering revamping the Book Reviews Page. It is currently divided according to the type of book, but I'm thinking of doing it in alphabetical order of book titles (or authors). What do you think?

The thing is, I review novels, novellas, short stories, poetry collections and anthologies, so I wanted to have things separate but I feel that it looks weird.

Feedback would be highly appreciated!

I'm doing another call for artists and photographers who might be interesting in sharing their work on my blog as part of the Takhayyal series. Rules can be found here.

There are several interviews in the pipeline. So stay tuned!

I'm not sure what else I wanted to add in this "quarterly" report. But that's all folks!

The Infinite Expanse blitz, excerpt & giveaways

The Infinite Expanse by B.C. Powell

(The Journals of Krymzyn #2)

Publication date: March 31st 2015

Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Science Fiction

Synopsis:

Evil lurks in the desolate Barrens of Krymzyn. For millions of Eras, predators with insatiable cravings have prowled the wasteland. When a traitor of the Delta enters their realm, the solitary beasts may finally have a leader to unite them.

As a new order emerges in the Barrens, Chase and Sash begin their lives together. While Chase fights to prove he belongs in Krymzyn, the power inside Sash flourishes in ways no one could have imagined. But a vengeance from the wasteland is soon unleashed upon them.

After Chase is trapped deep in the Barrens, his only escape is into the Infinite Expanse. Unaware of the deathly perils that take shape there, he may be lost forever. For Sash to return him from the endless wilderness, she’ll have to harness a mystical energy not seen since the beginning of time.

Add the book to your Goodreads to-read list: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23342003-the-infinite-expanse

Check out the excerpt below for a sneak peak of the Powell's new instalment in the series.

I immediately dig my feet into the grass and race across a meadow. As I sprint between two hills, I glance up at the sky. The scarlet light dims, the billows begin to swirl, and raindrops splatter against my face. Surrounded by full Darkness, I continue running until I enter the long valley that winds to the Empty Hill. I eventually reach the narrow gorge that leads to our habitat, but as I pass by, a smear of white catches the corner of my eye.

Grinding to a stop on the wet grass at the end of the ravine, I stare in the direction of our habitat. A black-veined beast leaps from a ridge and lands directly in front of the door. My eyes widen at the sight of the Murkovin one hundred feet in front from me. When his eyes shoot back at mine, I drop to one knee and plunge my fingers into the ground.

“Sash, Larn, Tork!” I blurt out. “Murkovin at Sash’s habitat!”

Red eyes flaring through the rain, the Murkovin charges at me. I drop my practice spear to the grass and rise into a crouch. As I clench my real weapon with both hands, every moment I spent sparring with Sash strobes through my mind. I have to anticipate, think, focus, but my body trembles with panic and my heartbeat throbs inside my head.

Bearing down on me in a sprint, the beast is ten feet away when he lunges his spear at my face. As the tip rockets towards me, I’m frozen in place, the world suddenly in slow motion. Waiting until the split second he’s off-balance, the moment before the point pierces my skin, I jerk my head to the side. The steel just grazes my hair before I uncoil in a frenzied spin.

While whirling my spear through the air, I lock my eyes on his head. Following my aim, the steel point slams straight into his skull. Light bursts around the shaft when the tip skewers his brain. Thrusting down with all my might, I crush his head against the ground.

I glare at the limp creature at my feet. Black blood spews from his head into the downpour of rain. I’m completely numb, unable to even feel my hands clamped around the shaft of my spear. Shaking from the rush of adrenaline, I feel no remorse at all from killing the beast. Sash’s words ring in my ears.

“When it’s kill or be killed, there’s no hesitation, no thought, and no regret.”

I snap my head to four more streaks of white on the hill above our habitat. The hideous creatures soar over the ridge and into the ravine.

“Shit!” I yell.

After ripping my spear from the skull of the corpse, I dash towards the Empty Hill. I may have killed one, but I won’t stand a chance against four.

Glancing over my shoulder as I run, I see all four Murkovin in pursuit. One suddenly blasts into dull beams of light. In an instant, the point of his spear gouges my calf, sending me sprawling to the ground. I slide to a stop on the slick grass and roll to my back.

With veins bulging from his spectral white arms, the beast rams his spear at my head. I swing my weapon up just in time to knock the point away from my face. Before either of us has time to make another move, a blur smashes into him and pounds him into the grass. In a flash, Sash’s spear splits his skull open. She wheels around to the other three Murkovin while I jump to my feet.

It’s not a battle. I wouldn’t even call it a fight. When Sash unleashes a torrent of death from her spear, it’s a massacre.

GIVEAWAY TIME

BC Powell is offering a chance at one ebook copy per blog

Use the Rafflecopter widget below and enjoy The Infinite Expanse.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Also, enter for a chance at a $100 Amazon gift card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Buy The Infinite Expanse via Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, B&N.

Buy book 1 (on sale for $0.99 on Amazon from 31 March till 8 April) via Amazon 

About the Author

BC Powell is a fantasy author from Los Angeles, CA. His debut science fiction fantasy novel "Krymzyn" was published in October, 2014. "The Infinite Expanse", the highly anticipated second book in "The Journals of Krymzyn" series, is scheduled for release on March 31, 2015.

Powell has a diverse background, having held several creative positions in the entertainment industry, including executive roles at ABC-TV and Technicolor. In recent years, he's authored several non-fiction works, primarily educational books and training programs for trading the financial markets. He dual majored in journalism and philosophy at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.

Writing fiction has been his lifelong passion and goal. “The Journals of Krymzyn” represents, in his words, “finally finding the story I want to tell with characters that are able to bring that story to life.” He's an avid reader and lists Ernest Hemingway, Frank L. Herbert, Stephen King, Jane Austen, and Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. as his favorite authors.

Brad, as he prefers to go by in personal communication, lives with his longtime girlfriend, three sons from a previous marriage, and their rescue dog and cat. He enjoys hiking, ocean kayaking, spending time at Southern California beaches, movies, and reading.

Connect with Powell:

http://www.bcpowellauthor.com/

https://www.facebook.com/bcpowellauthor

https://twitter.com/bcpowellauthor

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8312815.B_C_Powell

Just Pru by Anne Pfeffer – Book Review

Just Pru by Anne Pfeffer is simply a beautiful book. It's down to earth, quick and mind-opening.

The book is about Prudence, a girl of twenty-five who has several psychological problems particularly those relating to interacting and dealing with people. The novel is narrated in the first person from Pru's perspective and opens with her therapist having died two weeks before and she has been unable to drive or go out into the world since. Dr. Abbott, her therapist, played a key role in helping her leave her parents' home and move to Los Angeles to become independent of her overbearing and overprotective parents.

Although her name is Prudence, she is far from being wise; at least she thinks so and acts like it often.

"Pru."
"As in Prudence?"
"Just Pru." I was not a Prudence and never would be.

Each chapter opens with a small bit from Pru's diary. In one of her entries, she writes:
"My mother told me once that my dad had wanted to name me Obedience, but she had intervened. She later claimed she had been joking, but I'd always half believed the story and amused myself by making up even worse named he could have chosen.

Subservience, Diligence, Timidity.

Each one, a bullet dodged."

Pru's experience with humans comes from the hundreds of shows and series, she's watched; however, these play an important role in her later interactions and transformation.

The novel opens with a fire in Pru's building. She is rescued but her apartment is mostly consumed by the flames. Not only is she now homeless and broke, she is terrified that if her parents find out about this, they will reign her back in and lock her up in their home in Clayton.

As the less-affected neighbours offer their services, Pru is housed by Ellen, a playwright and director, who is Pru's exact opposite: sociable, friendly, busy and independent. Pru finds it hard to talk to people, let alone look them in the eye. She has lived in her new apartment for two months but has never met any of the neighbours or mingled with them.

I like how the novel opens at a turning point in Pru's life. She has to think and go beyond her comfort zones, which aren't many, in order to survive.

I also like how author Anne Pfeffer shows and handles the psychological dilemmas of both Pru and her neighbour Adam. Each of them suffers from something, and don't find it strange when they talk about it. The psychological aspect of the novel is done quite well. Also, Pru constantly remembers what her therapist, Dr. Abbott, used to say or would have said in every situation, enabling her to push on and keep moving forward.

"I thought longingly of my pills. They were the colours of summer – a pale baby blue one, same as the sky, and a lozenge in cheerful green and white, like striped lawn chairs."

I don't think anyone has ever thought so lovingly of medication, especially for depression.

I also enjoyed the contrast between Pru and Adam; both have psychological problems, see therapists and take medication, but one manages to interact with the world and the other hides away. Adam is successful despite his problems and indirectly helps Pru with hers.

The novel also contains the element of mystery as to who started the fire that burnt half the building. Since, the fire started somewhere near Pru's apartment, we get the insinuation that she may have started the fire – even by accident.

The novel entails a play, which Pru is thrown in and becomes a coach to one of the actors. Starting this point, we begin to see the change in Pru. She slowly matures and feels more responsible. We also see how she begins to interact with the opposite sex, a gender she rarely had an interaction with before.

Since the novel is narrated from Pru's perspective, we see her fight her problems. Sometimes she 

succumbs and at other times, she struggles and stands up to them. She is quite brave considering her condition. She is also "funny and smart" as one of the characters later tells her.

I like how Pru moves from wearing dark and loose clothes and trying to stay invisible to learning how to look, feel and want to be beautiful. All her life, she has been self-conscious about her size, but slowly she learns that it's not everything.

Just Pru is a story of self-discovery, beauty and maturity. It's a story of standing up to obstacles and family, a story of learning to make friends and helping others grow and become better.

Just Pru is a must-read contemporary.

Note: I received a free copy of Just Pru via Random Addition Book Tours (RABT) in exchange for an honest review for a blog tour. 

Check out an excerpt of Chapter One in Just Pru here.

Follow the author via Twitter and her Website

Ongoing Giveaways - HURRY

I realised I have several ongoing giveaways via my blog and elsewhere, so I figured I'd compile and share.

Update:
 

New giveaway for BC Powell's The Infinite Expanse (Book II in The Journals of Krymzyn) and a chance of a $100-Amazon gift card 

http://nadanessinmotion.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-infinite-expanse-blitz-excerpt.html  

Check out my review of Krymzyn: http://nadanessinmotion.blogspot.com/2014/11/krymzyn-book-review.html

HURRY!

Family Secrets by Kat Nicols
http://nadanessinmotion.blogspot.com/2015/03/family-secrets-interview-giveaway.html

Review coming mid-April, though hurry up coz the giveaway ends before my review

Massive YA Spring Giveaway – ends SOON

http://nadanessinmotion.blogspot.com/2015/03/massive-ya-book-giveaway-bookaholics.html

Bound by Spells by Stormy Smith

http://nadanessinmotion.blogspot.com/2015/03/bound-by-spells-blitz-giveaway.html

My five-star review of Bound by Spells here: http://nadanessinmotion.blogspot.com/2015/03/bound-by-spells-powerful-adventure.html

My five-star review of Bound by Duty (book I): http://nadanessinmotion.blogspot.com/2015/01/bound-by-duty-review.html

Takhayyal - writing prompt week 8

Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen, Artists, Poets, Writers, Authors, Dreamers, Friends and Family; Welcome EVERYONE to Nadaness In Motion's weekly picture-prompt writing challenge Takhayyal.

I've had my eye on this picture for a while now. I think many can brew something for this beauty. Don't you?

So let's get writing!

Arabic for Imagine, Takhayyal is a means to get inspired and spark our writing once more. Your post can be in English or Arabic, prose, poetry, short story, flash fiction; you name it and write it.

Untitled. Photo found online, provided by Sara Ahmed

General guidelines:

·        No nudity, violence, and/or abuse.

·        Deadline: Late Wednesday

·        Word count: No minimum, but 300 should be enough so others can have the chance to comment on various works (not going to be too strict about this bit)

·        Leave the link to your post in comments below OR post your piece as REPLY to this post

·        Your piece MUST be inspired in some way or other by the above picture

·        Multiple entries allowed

·        It is not required but it is a kind and encouraging gesture to comment on others pieces.

·        NEW: Add your Twitter handle (@.....) so I can tag you in my tweets!

Let's IMAGINE!

Seasons of Time - Book Review

Seasons of Time by Miriam Khan opens with an eerie prologue of a jealous unnamed mystery woman and possible spell-casting that is the essence of the novel.

The novel is about Lara Voight, who is sent to spend the summer with her step-mother's grandmother Gracen, a rude combination of grudge and age.

As soon as Lara arrives at Gracen's mansion, she experiences burning pains and emotions as well as a fragrant familiar scent that often results in a vision of the past. Soon, she discovers that she is the "spitting image" of a Penelope Le Rose 'Pen' and comes across her diary.

Lara learns that Pen was murdered in the past. Naturally intrigued, she begins to delve deeper into the mystery and Pen's past life. As she ventures forward, the visions increase and Lara begins to discover things about herself. The visions become quite real and she can literally see through what is happening through Pen's eyes and feel her emotions.

"My hand immediately traced my mattress for Pen's Diary, a book that was my revelation, my retreat to the real me, my beginning with the people I would always cherish whether I knew them or not."

Soon, other characters are pulled into the mystery as well. We meet Sheba and her brother Will, to whom Lara is attracted. We meet Elias, one of Pen's past loves and relationships, as well as Joseph and Hector.

Lara is highly sarcastic offering constant comic relief throughout Seasons of Time, something I particularly liked. At one point while thinking how the wheelchair-bound Gracen gets around her mansion, she says "Elevator? So that's how the old ogress got up and down the stairs."

Because Pen's diary is over a hundred years old, the change in language is clear between the diary and modern-day writing. It adds a lot to Seasons of Time and I felt that Pen's writing was a little Jane Austen-like.

In one of the entries, Lara reads "I see nothing but our love bloom from note to note. The sky seems tangible my friend. The clouds sift whispers of a sonnet which I memorise long before I sleep."

One of the things I felt were rather abrupt was Lara's quick shifts in emotions, especially from Will to Elias and vice versa. Although, the reader gets the feeling that Penelope is reincarnated into Lara, still I felt that the shifts were too quick. We get Pen's love for each man but we don't get the reason behind such love.

I did however like that Seasons of Time is considerably clean young-adult, with the exceptions of a couple of burning love sensations, there isn't any 'adult content', which seems to be inserted in most novels these days.

There were times when I felt the novel resemble Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. The line "You are mine, Pen," he ushered. "Nothing will keep me from you now" reminds me a lot of Healthcliff.

"Elias was the one who cast a spell on the likes of [her]. Elias was the condemnation and the blessing. A heaven embraced by the arms of a deeming hell."

Overall, I enjoyed Seasons of Time a LOT and liked how past and present mixed in this quick-paced novel, particularly the twist in the end. The first few long chapters were a bit tiresome because I don't like to stop mid-way but that was made up for towards the middle and end with shorter chapters.

Although I like the cover, I do not feel it is fitting for the novel. It's too general and does not seem to reflect Lara, Pen or even the mansion where most of the events take place.

The novel is narrated from the first person perspective of Lara with shifts to the first person of Penelope. I enjoyed the imagery the word choice used throughout the novel as both helped with the flow of the lines and the contributed to the themes and plot.

I liked how the author created important roles for secondary characters. With the exception of Will and Sheba's parents, all other characters play significant roles in the novel.

Overall rating: 4.25 stars

Check out the prologue and excerpt of the first chapter of Seasons of Time here.

Note: I received a free copy from author Miriam Khan in exchange for an honest review.