Working, working...

Have copy edits. Have book due. Must work like fiend. Blog posts may slow down a little.

But I do have one question for you all - my inbox is currently all out of reader interviews (both the originals and the ones focusing on keeper books). Would you guys like to continue seeing some kind of reader interview featured on the blog? If so, what type of things would you like to ask your fellow readers?

Okay, back to work now :-)

Reader Interviews: Heather on Three Fates by Nora Roberts

It's time for this week's reader interview - focusing on books readers of my blog, livejournal and myspace page consider absolute keepers. If you'd like to participate, you can find all the details here.

Also, if you'd like to read previous interviews, click on the Reader Interviews Part Deux tag at the bottom of this post.

Today's interviewee is Heather!

Heather on Three Fates by Nora Roberts

a) What's the book about?

This a story about 3 siblings and a mystery surrounding the lost three fates statues, throw in a greedy woman bent on taking them at any cost.

b) What do you love most about this story?

The interaction between all the characters but most especially the interaction between the siblings

c) How many times have you read this book?

So many times that it has fallen apart.

d) Who would you recommend it to?

Everybody

Reader Interview: DD03 on The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub

It's time for this week's reader interview - focusing on books readers of my blog, livejournal and myspace page consider absolute keepers. If you'd like to participate, you can find all the details here.

Also, if you'd like to read previous interviews, click on the Reader Interviews Part Deux tag at the bottom of this post.

Today's interviewee is DD03!

DDO3 on The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub

a) What's the book about?

A 12 yr old boy discovers that there is another realm in which most people have a "twin" of themselves. He is one of the few who is an individual in both worlds. He learns that his mother, the Queen of B movies, is dying, as well as her counterpart, the Queen, in the other world. He must find the Talisman and bring it back to them in order to heal them...and in essence save the worlds (because there are layers upon layers of them...each a reflection of the other, some more advance, some less so). There is of course an antihero/villain that is trying to get the Talisman as well, so that he can control all the worlds.

b) What do you love most about this story?

The journey and the development of Jack, the 12 yr old boy. He meets so many wonderful and awful characters along the way. Jack is such a courageous character.

c) How many times have you read this book?

Oh, dear. I first read this when I was 14 or 15 yrs old. I kept checking it out from the library, until they finally told me someone else wanted to read it! teehee.I've reread it about every 1.5-2 yrs ever since.= approximately 15 times

d) Who would you recommend it to?

Everyone.It's a coming of age book with some fantasy mixed in. There is no sex, well other than icky men wanting Jack because he's beautiful made...his spirit, his aura. There is love, courage, action, magic of a sort, werewolves (one is his BFF)...it's simply awesome.

e) Anything else you want to add?

One of the lines I've never forgotten is... "fushing feef!! fushing feef!!"It's a spider calling Jack a f***ing thief for getting near the Talisman. Also...I've never been able to eat seafood, besides shrimp and some fish. There was a very vivid scene of a seagull tearing at a clam...and...yeah...so didn't help! Can't stand the sight of someone picking out lobster from the shell!!*shudders*

bugs n hisses,

dd03

Reader Interview: Katy Brand on Simple Jess by Pamela Morsi

It's time for this week's reader interview - focusing on books readers of this blog consider absolute keepers. If you'd like to participate, you can find all the details here.

Also, if you'd like to read previous interviews, click on the Reader Interviews Part Deux tag at the bottom of this post.

Today's interviewee is Katy Brand! (And she's talking about a book that's among my personal favorites, too!)

Katy Brand on Pamela Morsi's Simple Jess

a) What's the book about?

It is the story of a man named Jess who lives in a small community in the Ozarks and his developing relationship with a local widow. It's hard for Jess to learn things and you see examples of this throughout the story, but he is also a man of common wisdom. The story revisits a community where other stories have been written, so you also get lots of side tales and old friends to meet again.

b) What do you love most about this story?

I love the realism of this story. Jess isn't the brightest, but he has learned strategies and routines throughout his life and he uses them to make the most of his life. He sets out to win the girl, but goes up against men who have seemingly much more to offer. I love the fact that he's not a superhero or mega-rich or a genius. He's just an ordinary man with drawbacks and with strengths. The heroine is also someone trying to make her way in life. She is a mother and has realistic view on life. She and Jess's relationship is a struggle that has you rooting for them the whole book. It's hard to describe why I love this book so much. It just feels so pure and fun and wonderful to me. It makes me want to meet these people and visit this town.

c) How many times have you read this book?

Too many to count. At least once every couple of years since it was released. I still keep it in my nightstand drawer in case I want to pull it out and re-read it again.

d) Who would you recommend it to?

I recommend it to any and all!

e) Anything else you want to add?

Though this book is different from Nalini's, I think that one of the things I like about both is the well developed characters. They have quirks and faults. They have idiosyncrasies. They also have a sense of community and justice.

:) Katy Brand

Reader Interviews: Mariana Arias on Cry No More by Linda Howard

It's Tuesday and time for a reader interview - focusing on books readers of this blog consider absolute keepers. If you'd like to participate, you can find all the details here.

Also, if you'd like to read previous interviews, click on the Reader Interviews Part Deux tag at the bottom of this post.

Today's interviewee is Mariana Arias!

~

Mariana Arias on Linda Howard's Cry No More

a) What's the book about?

Milla Edge and her doctor husband are now living in Mexico where he is posted. She is a first time mother that truly loves her child. On her way to the market she is attacked and her child vanishes.

This is a story about a mother's fight to make sense of a gigantic loss; her struggle to find her son at the cost of everything. Milla becomes obsessed with finding what happened to her son. She founds a company, Finders, that reunites lost ones with their family; to help those in her same circumstance. In her search, she receives a line that may lead to her son. In her investigation she meets dangerous and silent Diaz. Will he help or hinder?

It is the story of determination and a mother's true love.

b) What do you love most about this story?

I love this story because I can understand the need to ensure a child's safety no matter the cost. I love that Milla is strong and determined. I love that Diaz loves her as she is and still can underestimate what her son's well being means to her. I love that I can still read this story and be moved by it.

c) How many times have you read this book?

I have bought this book in all it's formats and have read every format multiple times; don't know the count though.

d) Who would you recommend it to?

I recommend this book to everyone; those I know and those I see in book stores :)

e) Anything else you want to add?

I asked a friend to read this and she said she doesn't like books where children are harmed or exploited. There are many that feel the same, and I get that. But I feel this books is beyond that. Love is central in this book, between the characters themselves; and I feel between the writer and the characters.

Reader Interviews: Daphne Dalle on "Wicked" by Jill Barnett

It's Tuesday and today we're kicking off a new series of reader interviews on books that the readers of this blog consider absolute keepers. If you'd like to participate, you can find all the details here. :)

Our very first interviewee is Daphne Dalle!

~

Daphne Dalle on Jill Barnett's Wicked

a) What's the book about?

It's a medieval romance between two very striking characters; Lady Sofia Howard and Sir Tobin de Clare. It's a story about young love, about being prideful, vulnerable, and out of your depth. We first meet Sofia when she is a fifteen-year-old ward of King Edward I, and terribly, achingly lonely despite her confident exterior. She sees Tobin across a crowded field and her pride takes a crashing fall when she's unable to stay away from him - in fact, she finds herself searching for him. Despite their youth, chemistry is instant, undeniable.

When Tobin cruelly breaks her heart that very same night, the lonely girl peeking out from Sofia's shell retreats, and she becomes flippant and cocky once more. Fast-forward two years, and Sofia is told that the King has arranged for her to marry Sir Tobin. For a girl that's independent to her very core, she feels cornered and helpless, yet unable to forget all the beautiful things Tobin made her feel. This is the start of a rocky relationship, and both Sofia and Tobin travel many miles and many years to reach their happy ending, but every step is beautiful in its own way, and the couple truly grow with each turn of the page.

b) What do you love most about this story?

I enjoy the fact that it employs several features I usually dislike - long separations, extreme pride, miscommunication - and I couldn't care less. In fact, these things contribute to such a beautiful story about human emotion and why we do the things we do that I wouldn't have it any other way. You see the characters make the worst possible decisions, but you immediately put yourself in that position and find yourself making the same choices. They didn't frustrate me, as headstrong characters tend to do, but they made me care and root for them. Which is all too rare, I think. And I absolutely adored seeing glimpses of Sofia's past, and just how much Tobin has been a part of her life. I don't much believe in destiny, but this couple might sway me, I think.

c) How many times have you read this book?

I first read "Wicked" when I found a copy in my college library - I think I was supposed to be researching themes of love and sex in the Old Testament, but I completely forgot about it as soon as I started reading. Right there in the library, I finished the book in one go. (For those of you who are curious, the assignment never got off the ground...) I ordered my own copy and have read it two more times since. I don't want to overdo it, because the book makes me so emotional that its quite draining. I think I'll read it once a year to get all my emotions out of the way (yes, I admit it, I'd be Psy if I had the choice! Don't judge me. *g*)

d) Who would you recommend it to?

Anyone that loves well-told stories with depth, and characters you can truly believe in. The prose is beautiful and the romance is memorable, with excellent supporting characters. (Nuns are cool. I said it.)

e) Anything else you want to add?

I don't say this lightly, but I reckon this book is about as close to perfect as you can get. And if I'm honest, I'm a little jealous that I didn't write it. :D

Thanks! & Catchup

Thank you all so much for the comments and congrats - you all rock. :)

Today, I did some work on the book after Mercy's. Can't tell you who it's about yet, but I think you'll be intrigued. *g*

I've also already got a couple of great keeper book interviews! Put your thinking caps on everyone and send me some more.

We haven't done a weekly catchup for a while, so tell me what you're up this weekend, or how the week's gone!

New Reader Interviews - Keeper Books

I posted the final reader interview I had in my inbox a little while back, so thought we'd change up the questions and run the interviews once more! (If you sent me an interview and it hasn't been posted, email it through to me again :) ).

So, here's the new format. I thought we'd do it on Keeper Books. If you'd like to participate, you can do the interview in one of two ways.

1. Pick a book that you consider an absolute keeper, and tell us all about it, and why you love it so much.

or

2. Pick a book that you consider an absolute keeper, and answer the following questions about it.

a) Title and author of the book?

b) What's the book about?

c) What do you love most about this story?

d) How many times have you read this book?

e) Who would you recommend it to?

f) Anything else you want to add?

Whichever style you choose, please also note the following:

1. I need you to sign the interview with whatever name you'd like it posted under.

2. You can send me as many interviews as you'd like (we love hearing about keepers!), but please send one email per book.

3. Paste everything directly into your email. ie. Don't attach a file with the info.

4. If the covers are available online, you can send me a link - but again, no attachments.

5. Send it to nalinisinghwrites AT gmail DOT com, with Reader Interview in the subject line.

6. Open to all. If you're a writer, just put on your reader hat :)

7. Most important rule of all - have fun!!

Any questions?