Travels: A Trip Over the Pond

We are off and traveling again… this time for a trip “over the pond”. With families in California and England it is hard to be in two places at once. Since our Christmas trip was to Napa, CA we are now headed to the Yorkshire Dales in England. JD is so homesick and very excited.

Although normally not known for its sunny and warm weather it is promising to be fairly chilly. I understand the rare snow that locals have been experiencing has now melted and turned into slush and ice. I was hoping to see the beautiful dales with snow… and maybe gracing Stonehenge?  We shall see.

Everyone should see Stonehenge at least once in their life… any pictures I will definitely share. Here are a few taken from Flickrcc. I love this site!

 

The house and cat sitter are all set up and we are all packed and ready to go. The sad part (besides the long flight) is that I will not have access to a computer for more than a few minutes here and there. Sadly, posts will be at a hiatus until we return and comment moderation will be slow.

So dear readers and friends “Ta Ta for now”! I can taste the fish and  chips now and the beer… can’t forget the beer… and the cheese, and the curry… who ever said that England has lousy food is mistaken! My mouth is watering.

Take Care Everyone!

Signed First Edition Giveaway: The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson with Author Signing Event Update, Pictures, and a Surprising Connection!

Apologies for this delayed post. It has been a very busy past month and a half, with the holidays and traveling. I also made a conscious decision to wait until after the holiday madness for this giveaway so it would not be lost in a pile of posts.

And now for some information about the author’s lecture and signing event – Brandon Sanderson and The Gathering Storm.

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Oh the fun we have in our life’s adventures… this was one for us. And even more fun was a surprising connection too!

Thanks to a few reviews linked in true blogger buddy style (David, Logan and Krista/Warbreaker) I had just finished reading and reviewing Mistborn. We all went nuts for his books. As for the late Robert Jordan, I had read the first half of the first book The Eye of the World in his The Wheel of Time series a year or so ago. Naturally I was ecstatic when I found that Brandon Sanderson would be coming to Scottsdale, AZ for a lecture the book signing for The Gathering Storm. Excited announcement here.

So I dragged JD as the intrepid photographer to our second author’s signing event. We truly did not know what to expect.

The event was hosted by a local independent book seller – The Poisoned Pen. It was held in a local library auditorium. When we arrived early, we mentioned to each other that the audience was surprisingly small. While everyone was enthusiastically chatting about their love of Jordan’s series to each other it became apparent from eavesdropping that there are many readers who adore the series to an almost cult interest level. It was wonderful  - a large group of quiet, polite, intellectual, and clearly very enthusiastic readers.

When Sanderson arrived (looking like a tired traveler!) he relayed his story on how he had loved Jordan’s series as a young adult and through his continued and repeat readings in college; how he was heartbroken by Jordan’s death; and how he was chosen for the honor to write the last three books in Jordan’s series. Jordan’s wife chose Brandon out of a number of other writers which he declined to mention. He then answered questions and talked about himself as a writer.

(John took this blurry shot of Sanderson speaking. He did not want to disturb him or the audience with the flash.)                                                     

While listening to Sanderson we decided that he is an excellent speaker and is also very down to earth. It truly shows that he loves what he does. We both were very impressed and interested in his methods and thought processes for writing. He also has a good sense of humor.

Interestingly after he was finished speaking we turned around to leave the large auditorium for the actual book signing. We were so surprised that the room was packed. People were standing in the back due to lack of seats. They had all quietly snuck in. Amazing!

As we all shuffled out into the large entry area everyone  quietly chatting and lining up to have copies of our books signed. Many people carried stacks of just purchased as well as personal copies to be signed.

(Before we reached the table where Sanderson was signing John took a few pictures.)

 

(Then as Brandon was signing our books, JD took a few others with me in the bottom three.)

 

Interestingly, Sanderson had a group of local individuals whom were helping with the function. There was a person taking pictures, others interviewing readers for a video, some getting email addresses for his newsletter, and one special person helping him set up the book page for his signature. This lastly mentioned lucky person turned out to be another blogger whom I have been following for some time now. He has thoughtful reviews, interviews, and misc related posts on fantasy, sci fi, and horror (my favorite genres) – Ken from Neth Space. How fun is that!

He is on the right helping Brandon - setting up the books to the correct page so that all he has to do is connect with the reader and sign the book. When thinking about it Sanderson signed 4 books for me as well as everyone else having multiple copies. He must have had hand cramps! And if you can see his signature you will know he probably is.

We did not know this was Ken until several days after the signing. I had just won a book from Neth Space and Ken recognized us. He did note that I had said I had a book blog to Brandon and that two of the books were for giveaways – So he was on alert. I got really excited when I realized that we had actual picture of Ken – who generally goes incognito on his blog.

For an interesting and detailed account of Ken’s involvement as a “Storm Leader” for the signing, link to his detailed and video adorned post here. You can also connect with Ken on Twitter and Goodreads. Thanks Ken!

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 Now for the Give Away!

I had first planned to get two signed copies of Warbreaker in addition to The Gathering Storm – one for me and one for Layers of Thought’s readers. Sadly they had all sold out – and I was told that the copies were rare first editions. I did however get a signed soft bound copy of Elantris for a later giveaway instead.  Not as special but fun never the less. Coming soon!

This copy of The Gathering Storm is also a signed first edition copy, which states “To the Lucky Winner” at Sanderson’s suggestion. This giveaway also includes two Wheel of Time bumper stickers and a bookmark.

Contest Info:

To enter you must:

• be a subscriber of Layers of Thought – google or facebook. (I need to be able to see you)
• comment
• include in the post your email so that I can contact you

You can do none, any, or all of the below for 1 extra entry point each. All entries may be included in one single comment. Good Luck!

1. Blog it - side bars are great - please provide links
2. Tweet it  – provide links please
3. Friend on Twitter
4. Friend on Goodreads
5. Friend on Book Blogs
6. Friend on Glue  - new to glue? have questions? let me know.

This giveaway is International.

Contest ends Sunday February 14, 2010 at 12 pm US Pacific time. Winner will be posted and notified on Saturday February 20, 2010.

Please note that comment moderation is on so your post will not appear until I have access to a computer, which will be in short supply while we are away. Thanks for your understanding.

Review by JD: Eon by Greg Bear

(US cover left – UK Special edition cover right) 

Book Stats:

• Eon
• by Greg Bear
• ISBN: 0-812-52047-5
• Pages 502: paperback
• Tor/Tom Doherty Associates, 1985
• Genre: Hard Science Fiction

JD’s Thoughts:

This is an extremely clever, thought provoking and entertaining “hard” science fiction book.

As the world again teeters on the brink of nuclear war, a huge asteroid hurtles out of space and goes into orbit around Earth. After the shock of its sudden arrival, many more shocks are in store. Teams of astronauts find that the 300 kilometer long asteroid is hollow and contains seven enormous chambers – each containing wondrous discoveries including two large but deserted cities. Incredibly advanced technology has been used, but strangely it is clear that the cities have been built by humans and one of them strongly resembles a present day city on Earth.

The biggest shocks are found in the city libraries and in the seventh chamber. Among other things the libraries contain detailed histories of the world up to the present day and for several centuries beyond. Chillingly they detail a nuclear war which annihilates most of the world’s population, and it is due to happen soon. The histories are so shocking that only a very small team are allowed to know about them, and they struggle to determine what, how, when and if the content should be shared. Can they change events which have already been written in these human histories? Ironically, their decisions seem to pushing the world closer to the edge of war.

Meanwhile, the seventh chamber is the most wondrous of all, for despite being contained within the asteroid it appears to have an infinite length. The astronauts have little time to explore the seventh chamber or the “Way” before they are overtaken by events. In the meanwhile, many hundreds of thousands of kilometers along the Way, there is a civilization whose inhabitants are intensely interested in the activities of the astronauts in the first six chambers, where they themselves used to live. These future humans built the Way, which is a hollow singularity constructed from the mathematical fabric of space/time, slicing across multiple centuries and galaxies. Should they be helping the people of Earth? Should they be preventing the explorers from discovering too much or tinkering with some of the key machinery in the chambers? But they too are facing terrible challenges from a race of beings that is trying to take over the Way.

This is a complex story with many facets and themes – not least of which is man’s apparent inability (or lack of will) to stop a global disaster that all can see coming. While the book was written when the cold war was still in full swing, sadly that theme still resonates all too much today as we face different global threats.

Some of the hard science (or science fiction!) in the book is tough to follow, but I just went with the flow and I thoroughly enjoyed it. To my mind it felt current and certainly didn’t have the feel of something written 25 years ago. Plaudits to Greg Bear on that one, and indeed plaudits all round to him. I’d thoroughly recommend this to anyone who likes science fiction with a big dollop of science thrown in, or to anyone who enjoys an epic story with strong characters and lots of imagination.

I’d rate this book 4.5 stars.

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Information for Greg Bears on Wikipedia is linked here and his website here.

This book is the first in a series. The other two are:

• Legacy – The prequel:  Published in 1995
• Eternity – Published in 1988

Amazon purchasing links – US/UK/Canada and from The Book Depository in Euros and AUD.

Comments, thoughts, links to your review of this book, and questions are always welcome and encouraged!

GLBT Mini Challenge Post: Answer the Question - Why is this Challenge Important?

Why is the GLBT Challenge 2010 Important?

It is important because of my personal interests in human experiences. By reading a book about, from the perspective of,  and/ or by an individual whom is GLBT I am given a gift. One which can help me to understand the complexity of a piece of humanity, in its complex and common emotions.

Another important reason for my connection to this challenge, is that for GLBT persons difficulties can be compounded by beliefs about sexuality  – both from within themselves and from society. There are sad aspects of living in a world where, at times, one is not truly accepted. Where discrimination, misunderstanding, and violence can occur at any time. I believe that if one person is helped to feel a positive emotion, or moved toward acceptance and understanding from a review or recommendation of a book from Layers of Thought, it will have fulfilled a greater goal. 

On a more fun note, many of the books about and by GLBT individuals have rich and wonderful experiences, are eloquent, fun, and often quirky. All of which are a favorite kind of read!

Link to the post for this mini challenge here.

To join this well organized and popular challenge link here.

Thanks to our hosts Amanda and Jen!

What do Today’s Readers Want? Fauzia Burke - President of FSB Associates Answers the Question

Here is an article from the president of FSB Associates – Fauzia Burke. An interesting and light editorial about what she believes is important for today’s readers and where the book industry is heading. Enjoy!

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I'll Take a Community With That Book, Please!
By Fauzia Burke

With today's search empowered readers, do we need to market and publish books differently? Does general publishing make sense in an age of Google searches, micro communities and niche marketing?

Today's readers are tech savvy and resourceful. They know how to get the information they need and have higher expectations from publishers and authors. They don't just expect a book, they expect a community with their book.

I often hear publishers say that there are "very few brands in book publishing." But to thrive in today's competitive, niche markets, perhaps brands are exactly what we need. What readers choose to read is personal and an extension of who they are. Shouldn't their book choices be supported by a publisher, a brand that is invested in their interests? 

Many small publishing companies have done an enviable job of branding themselves and building reader communities around their books. Take O'Reilly, TOR and Hay House. You may not read their books, but you know what they publish. Their communities trust them. People who share their point-of-view flock to their lists. These companies publish for a niche community, and are trusted members of their community. They provide extra resources, and often their authors are members of the community itself. TOR has even launched a bookstore to meet their readers' needs. These publishers show passion for their books and an understanding of their readers, and as such their readers reward them with loyalty.

Publishing books for the community

Besides reader loyalty, publishing for micro communities may have other long-term benefits as well. For example, the focus would help publishers save money on marketing. Marketing through online communities is less expensive and much more powerful than trying to reach the general public and hoping to find the right match. The publisher's Web site wouldn't have to cater to a wide variety of people, it would be designed to serve the needs of a small group. Instead of expensive advertising, they could announce the book to the community that has already bought into their brand. Publishers and authors could enlist the support of the community to spread the word (which will always be the most efficient method for marketing books.) The logo on the book spine would mean the readers have a promise that the book is worth reading. The readers would know that the publisher looked at over a thousand manuscripts all on the same topic and is offering them the very best. 

So are large, general publishers at a disadvantage with today's search-empowered, community oriented readers? I think so. General trade publishing is for everyone, yet there is no "everyone" out there.  Readers are part of micro communities. They want good books, and they need publishers who will support their interests and passions. 

The bottom line is that publishers and authors need to evolve their marketing and publishing strategies to accommodate for a new kind of reader. A reader whose expectations demand more interaction and community. A reader whose loyalty you can have once you have earned it. A reader who wants more than a 6 week marketing campaign so you can sell a book. This new reader requires an investment of months and years.

Is that too much to expect? Perhaps. But this is your new reader, and she will stay with you if you stay with her.

Stay tuned for Web marketing tips in future weeks, or follow FSB on Twitter to see our results in real time: http://twitter.com/FSBAssociates

©2009 Fauzia Burke

Author Bio
Fauzia Burke is the Founder and President of FSB Associates, a Web publicity firm specializing in creating online awareness for books and authors.  She is currently a featured blogger on The Huffington Post new books vertical where this article originally debuted. 

For more information, please visit www.FSBAssociates.com.

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So two questions for thought are: As readers, is having community an important aspect of your reading choices? Are there specific publisher which you prefer and follow due to their specific genre content or do you prefer a generalized book resource?

Have a wonderful Saturday everyone!

Friday Book Giveaway at All Things Smart and Scary – A Child’s Wound – A Novel by Dwayne Kavanagh

Nicole at All Things Smart and Scary does a weekly giveaway of a horror or thriller book at her blog. This is her current offering - A Child’s Wound. It  looks especially interesting, if you enjoy reading about serial killers, which I do. Check out the name of the publisher as well…

Book Stats:

• A Child's Wound – A Novel
• by Dwayne Kavanagh
• August 4th 2009 by Sick Puppy Publications
• Paperback, 382 pages
• ISBN: 0981323308    (isbn13: 9780981323305)
• Genre: Thriller

Book Information:

Tim Hadler, an eccentric narcissist, stalks his next victim and joins the likes of Ted Bundy and Jack the Ripper. Tim enjoys what he does and has perfected his craft. What makes him different than most serial killers is that he can manipulate some of his victims. Those he allows to live. Tim walks the streets of Manhattan, cruising through book shelves and Cafe line ups to find the perfect victims. Unfortunately for Tim he has stumbled upon something that never prepared him for what is about to happen. His next victim turns out to be a New York City Detective. Just when Tim thought he had his life under control he's drawn into a game like no other. In Manhattan, N.Y., a Serial Killer stages his victims as if they were works of art. Detective Christine Maloan is tracking down a killer that leaves clues that date back to the Egyptian Pyramids. The hidden symbols are difficult to put together and the murders have the entire city up in arms and the FBI edging closer to taking over the case. Throughout the story Tim uncovers situations in his past that reveals some insight into understanding why he does what he does. But will that stop him who knows?

Contest Details:

• one (1) trade paperback for US and Canada residents
• and/or 1 e-copy to those elsewhere in the world
• contestants need to email Nicole from All Things Smart and Scary at mirandadandridge@yahoo.com with your answer to this question: What's your favorite serial killer movie?
• contest starts Friday Jan 15th and ends Jan 29th

Good luck!

Preview: The Afflicted Girls: A Novel of Salem ~ by Suzy Witten

 

The Afflicted Girls ~ by Suzy Witten

A controversial debut by a new Historical storyteller.

About:   Something terrible happened in Salem in 1692 . . . but it isn't what you think! The Afflicted Girls: a novel of Salem by author-researcher Suzy Witten presents a startling new theory of the Salem Village witch-hunts which is certain to put this 300 year old unsettled mystery to rest . . . by expertly guiding readers through The Historical Record to revelation.

Part parable, part star-crossed romance, and part supernatural venture, this is an intuitive human history--and inhuman--spun with a modern twist. A controversial debut by a new Historical storyteller.

Author Bio:  Suzy Witten’s career spans over twenty years within the entertainment industry: as a filmmaker, screenwriter, story analyst, and editor for both film and television. She resides in Los Angeles.

The Afflicted Girls is her first novel. The Author was a Walt Disney Studios Fellowship Finalist for this story. For more on Suzy Witten link to her blog, website, and Goodreads.

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US|UK|Canada, ebook format via the author’s website.

Paperback: 456 pages

Publisher: DREAMWAND (October 31, 2009)

Genre: Historical Fiction

This ebook was sent to Layers of Thought for review from the author. Thank you Suzy.

Thanks for reading!

Preview: The Little Known by Janice Daugharty

 Book Stats:

Paperback: 234 pages

Publisher: BelleBooks, Inc. (February 1, 2010)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 098412585X

ISBN-13: 978-0984125852

Genre: Young Adult /Historical Fiction  

Back Cover Blurb:

When twelve-year-old Knot Crews, an African American boy growing up in the segregated south Georgia  town of Statenville, discovers a bag of bank-robbed cash in  an alley, he is nearly overcome with happiness and terror.  All that money—a hundred thousand dollars—could be the  ticket to everything he’s ever wanted, but he knows he can’t  spend it, not only because his conscience won’t let him, but for fear of being caught.

He decides to do what he can for his needy neighbors,  both black and white, and begins mailing them hundred dollar bills anonymously, but it irks Knot daily to discover  that most of them squander it and don’t use the money as he  had intended, and that the money doesn’t change their lives  for the better.  It turns out that the weight of Knot’s world can’t be lifted by cold hard cash alone.

Set during the turbulent 1960’s, The Little Known is a coming-of-age story full of hope and forgiveness.

Click here to read an excerpt and see the trailer.

Author Mini Bio:

Janice Daugharty is the author of seven novels and one short story collection. She is currently writer-in-residence at Valdosta State University, in Valdosta, Georgia, near her home.

Read her extensive biography at the Georgia Encyclopedia. Connect with the author at her website.

This book was sent to Layers of Thought for review from Bell Bridge  Books. Thanks Deb!

Amazon purchasing links - US or from Bell Bridge Books  – available in US and Canada.

Review coming soon!

Review by JD: My Name is Will by Jess Winfield

 

 Book Stats: 

• My Name Is Will
• by Jess Winfield
• ISBN: 978-0-446-50883-4
• Pages 283: paperback
• Twelve/Hachette Book Group, 2009
• Genre: Humor/Historical Fiction/General Fiction

JD’s Thoughts:

You know how great it is when you find a book that is both totally original and very entertaining? Well, I’m glad to say that here is one that meets both of those criteria.

My Name Is Will, sub-titled “A Novel of Sex, Drugs and Shakespeare”, intertwines the stories of a grad student named Willie Shakespeare Greenberg in 1986 and the William Shakespeare in 1582. The “current” Will is smart and infatuated with the original William Shakespeare, but is wasting away his time at university - bumming around, smoking pot, getting involved with numerous women and doing virtually no work. Back in 1582 the original Shakespeare is an eighteen-year-old Latin teacher struggling with the rapid financial and social decline of the Shakespeare family, while getting caught up in the religious and political strife of the time as the Catholic Church in England and all of its followers are driven underground.

Despite the wildly different circumstances, there are many parallels between the two Wills as they both try to navigate difficulties with work, hedonistic lifestyles, complex family circumstances, authorities, challenges, multiple sexual relationships, growing up and life-changing decisions that need to be made. As the story swings back and forth between the two Wills, the similarities and connections become ever stronger.

This is a fun book. It is clever, bawdy and flat-out funny. True to Shakespeare, it is full of puns, many of which are outrageously rude. The 1582 parts of the story are written in a kind of Olde English style, but it’s not quite as “thick” as you’ll see in Shakespeare’s work and most of the words and meanings are clear enough, and at least part of the fun is figuring out the bits you don’t immediately understand. When you do figure them out, you’re often rewarded with a chortle as another pun becomes clear. Through it all, Winfield’s own love of Shakespeare comes shining through.

Some of the blurb on the cover describes the story as delicious, original, irreverent, fascinating, cunningly witty and “Shakespeare in Love” on magic mushrooms. I’d go along with all of that. It’s Winfield’s debut novel too, which makes it an even bigger achievement. This gets 4 stars and a strong recommendation from me.

P.S. Don’t be put off if you’ve never got along with Shakespeare. This is still a fun read.

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This books was won in a giveaway from A Sea of Books. Thanks Gwendolyn!

To find out more about Jess Winfield link to Hatchet’s author information page – Here.

Amazon purchasing links – US/UK/Canada and The Book Depository in Euros, and AUD.

We have a Winner for The Magic Warble!

Apologies for being a day late for the post. But never the less we have a winner……Drum Roll Please……

And The Winner Is:

Sheree from  Todo es Facilsi

Congratulations!

Lets all Jump for Sheree!

(click on the book cover to see the review, purchasing information, and original post for The Magic Warble)

An email is on its way with a request for your address - Sheree. Please respond back within 3 days.

Thanks to all for entering our contest here at Layers of Thought. Stay tuned for two new giveaways. Coming very soon!

Review by Shellie: Defining Twilight by Brian Leaf

 

Set Up for the Book:

Defining Twilight is a vocabulary book for  young adults. The author, Brian Leaf, shows the reader important vocabulary words from within Stephanie Meyer’s immensely popular book Twilight. These words have value for a variety of standardized tests in the US - the SAT, ACT, GED, and SSAT.

Taken from the book there are eight vocabulary words  placed into each of eight sections. With reference to the context of the novel, the student is asked to give a definition for each word. Page numbers are given with each word so definitions can be easily figured out. Correct definitions of each word are supplied on the next page. Then questions are offered on synonyms, analogies, and sentence completion. All these activities teach important skills and are assessed when the above tests are taken.

My Thoughts:

Defining Twilight is very well organized, with an amazing number of  words which I had not noticed when reading the actual novel - Twilight. It was interesting to see the number of significant and important vocabulary words that Leaf pulled from this popular vampire saga.

Highly recommended for a fun way to learn vocabulary; enjoyment and interest enhances learning, which in turn facilitates memory retention. I give this book 4 stars.

For more information on the author – Brian Leaf, the workbook Defining Twilight, and for Amazon purchasing information please see Layers of Thought’s preview for Defining Twilight.

ARC Preview: One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Amazon Book Stats:

Hardcover: 240 pages

Publisher: Voice (February 2, 2010)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1401340997

ISBN-13: 978-1401340995

Genre: General Fiction

Amazon Book Blurb:

Late afternoon sun sneaks through the windows of a passport and visa office in an unnamed American city. Most customers and even most office workers have come and gone, but nine people remain. A punky teenager with an unexpected gift. An upper-class Caucasian couple whose relationship is disintegrating. A young Muslim-American man struggling with the fallout of 9/11. A graduate student haunted by a question about love. An African-American ex-soldier searching for redemption. A Chinese grandmother with a secret past. And two visa office workers on the verge of an adulterous affair.

When an earthquake rips through the afternoon lull, trapping these nine characters together, their focus first jolts to their collective struggle to survive. There's little food. The office begins to flood. Then, at a moment when the psychological and emotional stress seems nearly too much for them to bear, the young graduate student suggests that each tell a personal tale, "one amazing thing" from their lives, which they have never told anyone before. And as their surprising stories of romance, marriage, family, political upheaval, and self-discovery unfold against the urgency of their life-or-death circumstances, the novel proves the transcendent power of stories and the meaningfulness of human expression itself. From Chitra Divakaruni, author of such finely wrought, bestselling novels as Sister of My Heart, The Palace of Illusions, and The Mistress of Spices, comes her most compelling and transporting story to date. One Amazing Thing is a passionate creation about survival--and about the reasons to survive.

Author Bio:

Chitra Divakaruni is an award-winning and bestselling novelist and poet. She is the author of fourteen books in all, including the short story collection The Unknown Errors of Our Lives and the novels Sister of My Heart, The Mistress of Spices, Queen of Dreams, and The Palace of Illusions. Two of her novels have been made into movies. Her writings have appeared in more than fifty magazines, including The Atlantic Monthly and The New Yorker.

Connect with the author at her website, blog, facebook, and Goodreads.

This book was sent to Layers of Thought for review from Shelf Awareness.

Pre purchasing links from Amazon - US/UK/Canada; and The Book Depository - AUD and Euro.

Review coming soon!

Preview: Then Came the Evening by Brian Hart

(US cover left – UK cover right – Canada both)

Amazon Book Stats:

Hardcover: 272 pages

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA (December 22, 2009)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1608190145

ISBN-13: 978-1608190140

Genre: General Fiction

Amazon Book Blurb:

Bandy Dorner, home from Vietnam, awakes with his car mired in a canal, his home reduced to ashes, and his pregnant wife preparing to leave town with her lover. Within moments, a cop lies bleeding in the road. Nearly two decades later, Bandy is released from prison. His parents are gone, but on the derelict family ranch, Bandy faces a different reunion. Tracy, his now teenaged son, has come to claim the father he's never known, and Iona, Bandy's ex-wife, has come on the heels of her son. All three are damaged, hardened, haunted. But amidst the ice and rock of the raw Idaho landscape, they attempt to piece back together a family that never was, and to discover if they belong together at all. With resolute honesty and restrained beauty, Brian Hart explores the hopes and limitations of his characters as they struggle toward a shared future, imbuing his novel with the power of classic Greek tragedy. A stunning debut.

Author Bio:

Brian Hart was born in central Idaho in 1976. He's worked as a carpenter, welder, drywall hanger, dishwasher, commercial fisherman, line cook, and janitor. In 2005 he won the Keene Prize for Literature, the largest student literary prize in the world. He received an MFA from the Michener Center for Writers in 2008. Then Came the Evening is his first novel.

Connect with the author at his website.

This book was sent to Layers of Thought from Goodread’s First Reads Program.

Amazon purchasing links - US/UK/Canada; The Book Depository - AUD and Euro.

Review coming soon!

Bloggiesta Update and Closing Post – Sunday Evening

Completed Goal and Challenge For Today

Goal number 6 and mini challenge hosted by The Book Lady’s Blog - Clean out reader

I have spent most of the day deleting blogs that I do not recognize or do not read. I added way too many in my new blogger enthusiasm.

Please if I have deleted your blog and/or I do not subscribe to your blog and you are a reader of Layers of Thought – LET ME KNOW. I was ruthless and am highly fallible. It is my intention to read and subscribe to each blog that reads Layers of Thought.

Summary of Finished Goals

Primary Goals:

1. Back up blog - Finished

2. Create an internal reading challenge list and updated finished challenges - Finished

3. Start an author link up page for all Layers of Thought’s writer and author followers

4. Start an updated internal blogroll

5. Clean up any defunct links – Found Dead Links Need to Fix

6. Clean out my google reader a bit more since it is exploding - Finished

7. Start a bunch of posts that I have been neglecting

Completed 3.5 of the 7

Mini Challenges Completed:

• Backed up Layers of Thought - Farm Lane Books Blog
• Added New Tags - Beth Fish Reads
• I found the dead links with a search program - Karen’s Book Nook
• I checked copyright information data - Bookalicio.us
• I came up with 5 post ideas - Jenn’s Bookshelves

Completed 4.5 of the challenges.

*********************************************************************************

Although I have not completed all the goals I had planned. I am a bit more knowledgeable and aware of what needs to be done. I am also going continue using the posts linked above as well as the other mini challenge sites to continue to improve Layers of Thought.

Looking forward to the next Bloggiesta.

A Muchas Gracias to all who have contributed to the Bloggiesta – Especially to MAW Books for hosting this function.

Bloggiesta Update – Saturday Morning

In and effort to stop myself from distraction I have not signed on to Twitter. Not even half as fun but I am very prone to distraction.

In Progress – this could take months! 

Mini Challenge – Dead Link Search from Karen’s Book Nook. This post takes you to the Problogger website where there are two programs to search your blog for dead links. I have tried both the first address which has a difficult to understand system. The other downloadable program Xenu appears to have a better and understandable interface with errors coming up red.

However, after running Xenu I have found that apparently I have 250 broken links and a learning curve that has a tough climb with this new program. So I am thinking this may take me a couple of weeks or more to figure out and then implement. But now I have a list  and a way to check Layers of Thought’s dead links.

I could have stayed on “de Nile” here forever – meandering down the river enjoying the “sites” oblivious to the many links on my blog that lead to nowhere. So my thoughts are if you have not done this for your blog yet, do it before you become so overwhelmed (like me) you decide to delete your blog and start again. Yes, for a moment it did occur to me.

On to more positive things…

Completed:

Yee Ha! I have finished Goal number 2 – Reading Challenge Link Post.

Mini Challenge - from Jenn’s Bookshelves – come up with 10 post ideas. Here are 5 which have been floating around in my brain for awhile:

1. Post of 2009 book winnings from contests – this will be a huge post.
2. Post a link up of all the authors and their books whom subscribe to my blog and link it on the side bar.
3. New blogging awards – created by me that are sitting in a file but have been too busy to hand them out.
4. Create a list of “top of the pile”, “ dream list”, “lust list” or “need to be read” books.
5. Create posts around a few seasonal, specialty, or holiday days with related linked books lists for them within the year.

Mini Challenge – Update Copyright Data info at Bookalicio.us. This post includes some links for further information on copyright infringement for bloggers.

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So enough Bloggiesta for the morning. Now for some food and much needed stress relieving exercise – a desert hike.

250 dead links…Oh Dear!

Completed Challenge List and Links ~ 2010

 

Book Nuts need a Nutty Badge! This is our list of challenged completed in 2010

Most challenges include both John and myself unless otherwise noted.

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The Scandinavian Challenge: Read 6 books ~ Badge links directly to post:

1. The Unit ~ by Ninni Holmqvist
2. The Devil’s Star  ~ by Jo Nesbo

2 finished – not completed started in the middle of the year

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 RIP V – Fall 2010 ~ Goal:  Read four books, any length, that you feel fits my very broad definition of scary.

1. Dante’s Journey – J.C. Marino (by John)
2. Haunted Legends ~ edited by Datlow and Mamatas
3. Buying Time – Pamela Samuels Young
4. Dracula by Bram Stoker
5. The Devil’s Star  ~ by Jo Nesbo
6. My Name is Memory ~ Ann Brashares

Short story and movie reviews of any number.

1.  Short Story and Movie review post

Links to host site page ~  links to review site.

Challenge Complete!

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Apocalypse Challenge: Books Required: Four

1. Life As We Knew It
2. The Dead and The Gone
3. This World We Live In (trilogy- all linked here in one post)
4. The Passage by Justin Cronin
5. The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist

Completed with 5 (Shellie only)

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The Speculative Fiction Challenge 2010  -The Goal to read 24 Speculative Fiction Novels.

1. RELEASE by Nicole Hadaway – (horror)
2. Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan – (dark fantasy )
3. Soulless by Gail Carrigan – (urban fantasy)
4. The Metamorphosis by Frank Kafka (horror)
5. The Stupidest Angel - by Christopher Moore (horror/humor)
6. Life As We Knew It
7. The Dead and The Gone
8. This World We Live In (all linked here in one post)
9. Inside Out by Maria Snyder
10. Cursed by Jeremy Shipp
11. Keeper by Kathi Appelt (young adult/tween, mythic - slipstream)
12. The Russian Dreambook of Color and Flight by Gina Ochsner (slip stream, literary)
13. The Song of The Whale by Uri Orlev
14. Post-Human by David Simpson
15. The Passage by Justin Cronin
16. Alone by Marissa Farrar
17. One Bloody Thing After Another by Joey Comeau
18. The Reincarnationist by MJ Rose (all three are in one post)
19. The Memorist
20. The Hypnostist
21. The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist
22. Hothouse Flower by Margot Berwin
23. The Handbook for Lightening Strike Survivors ~ by Michele Young Stone
24. Haunted Legends ~ edited by Datlow and Mamatas
25. Dracula by Bram Stoker
26. My Name is Memory ~ Ann Brashares
27. The Arrival ~ (a wordless novel) by Shaun Tan
28. The Tempest ~ rewritten by Ann Keay Beneduce
29. The Healer's War ~ by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
30. Pathfinder ~ by Orson Scott Card

30 down – over by six so Challenge Complete! (Shellie only)

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Mind Voyages – Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Challenge –2010 ~Nebula and Hugo Award or Nominees

This voyage is spontaneous and unplanned.

1. The City & The City by China Mieville
2. The Healer's War ~ by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
3. Beggars in Spain ~ Nancy Kress (review coming)

Three down – challenge complete!

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42 Challenge 2010 ~ The Goal is to read, watch, attend, and listen to 42 items related to science fiction – any medium.

1. Eon by Greg Bear – read by JD
2. Life As We Knew It
3. The Dead and The Gone
4. This World We Live In (all linked here in one post)
5. Inside Out by Maria Snyder
6. The Quiet War by Paul McAuley
7. The Army of the Republic by Stuart Archer Cohen
8. The Dream of Perpetual Motion by Dexter Palmer
9. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
10. Post-Human by David Simpson
11. The Passage by Justin Cronin
12. The City & The City by China Mieville
13. Prador Moon by Neil Archer
14. Very Hard Choices by Spider Robinson
15. The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist
16. Voltaire’s Calligrapher by Pablo De Santis
17. Betrayer of Worlds by Niven and Lerner
18.  Short Story and Movie review post – includes 3 (1 poem, 1 movie, 1 short story)
19. 3 movies which need reviews
20. The Arrival ~ (a wordless novel) by Shaun Tan
21. the first book “Sun of Suns”: From Virga: Cities of the Air ~ by Karl Schroeder 
22. The Naperville White House ~ by Mark Pedriani
23. Pathfinder ~ by Orson Scott Card
24. Hawkmoon: The Sword of the Dawn ~ by Michael Moorcock

29 down 13 to go – not going to make this one!

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The Woman Unbound Challenge – November 2009 – 2010:  The Goal is to read at least 5 books with two being non fiction. Two completed one nonfiction.

1. Stepmonster by Wednesday Martin (nonfiction)
2. A Map of Home by Randa Jarrar (fiction)
3. Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan - (fantasy)
4. Soulless by Gail Carrigan – (urban fantasy)
5. Fun Home by Allison Bechdel (non fiction, memoir, graphic novel)
6. Inside Out by Maria Snyder (young adult sci fi)
7. The Cost of Dreams by Gary Stelzer (fiction)
8. The Russian Dreambook of Color and Flight by Gina Ochsner (slip stream, literary)
9. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins (classic mystery)
10. Thirsty by Kristin Bair O’Keeffe
11. The Recipe Club by Isreal and Garfinkle
12. Alone by Marissa Farrar
13. Rainy Lake by Mary Francois Rockcastle
14. The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist
15. Hothouse Flower by Margot Berwin
16. The Handbook for Lightening Strike Survivors ~ by Michele Young Stone
17. Chasing Stardust by Laurel-Rain Snow

Challenge Completed!  (Shellie only)

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Graphic Novels Challenge 2010 ~ Beginner (3 comics or graphic novels)

Shellie:

1. Fun Home by Allison Bechdel (graphic novel, non fiction)
2. The Arrival ~ (a wordless novel) by Shaun Tan
3. The Tempest ~ rewritten by Ann Keay Beneduce
4. The Principles of Uncertainty ~ Maira Kalman

John:

1. Britten and Brulightly by Hannah Berry (graphic novel, mystery)
2. Palestine ~ by Joe Sacco
3. Watchman ~ read but not reviewed

Completed!

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New Author Challenge 2010 ~ The Goal is to read 50 new authors this year – John and I both are contributing to this challenge.

1. RELEASE by Nicole Hadaway – (horror)
2. Soulless by Gail Carrigan – (urban fantasy)
3. The Metamorphosis by Frank Kafka (horror)
4. Nibble & Kuhn by David Schmahmann (general fiction)
5. Fun Home by Allison Bechdel (memoir – graphic novel)
6. Susan Beth Pfeffer – The Moon Books (apocalyptic, young adult)
7. Inside Out by Maria Snyder
8. The Quiet War by Paul McAuley
9. Searching for Whitopia by Rich Benjamin
10. Cursed by Jeremy Shipp
11. The Cost of Dreams by Gary Stelzer
12. Rooftops of Tehran by Mahbod Seraji
13. The Army of the Republic by Stuart Archer Cohen
14. Britten and Brulightly by Hannah Berry (graphic novel, mystery)
15. The Death of Bunny Munro by Nick Cave (dark general fiction)
16. Keeper by Kathi Appelt (young adult/tween, mythic - slipstream)
17. The Russian Dreambook of Color and Flight by Gina Ochsner (slip stream, literary)
18. The Manufactured Identity by Heath Sommer
19. Seven Deadly Wonders by Mathew Reilly
20. The Dream of Perpetual Motion by Dexter Palmer
21. Pretty Birds by Simon Scott
22. Dirty Little Angels by Chris Tusa
23. By Fire, By Water by Mitchell J. Kaplan
24. Thirsty by Kristin Bair O’Keeffe
25. The Song of The Whale by Uri Orlev
26. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
27. Post-Human by David Simpson
28. Where Men Win Glory by Jon Krakauer
29. The Passage by Justin Cronin
30. The Recipe Club by Ireal and Garfinkle
31. The City & The City by China Mieville
32. Alone by Marissa Farrar
33. One Bloody Thing After Another by Joey Comeau
34. You Can’t Always Get What You Want by Sam Cutler 
35. Rainy Lake by Mary Francois Rockcastle
36. Blind Descent by James Tabor
37. The Reincarnationist by MJ Rose (all three are in one post)
38. The Kindness of Strangers by Kate Adie
39. Prador Moon by Neil Archer
40. Very Hard Choices by Spider Robinson
41. The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist
42. The Bat Scientists by Mary Kay Carson
43. Dante’s Journey by J.C. Marino
44. Children of Dust by Ali Eteraz
45. Hothouse Flower by Margot Berwin
46. Book Lust by Nancy Pearl
47. The Handbook for Lightening Strike Survivors ~ by Michele Young Stone
48. Voltaire’s Calligrapher by Pablo De Santis
49. Then Came Evening ~  Brian Hart
50. Buying Time – Pamela Samuels Young
51. Dracula by Bram Stoker
52. The Devil’s Star  ~ by Jo Nesbo
53. Betrayer of Worlds by Niven and Lerner
54. My Name is Memory ~ Ann Brashares
55. Chasing Stardust by Laurel-Rain Snow
56. The Arrival ~ (a wordless novel) by Shaun Tan
57. the first book “Sun of Suns”: From Virga: Cities of the Air ~ by Karl Schroeder 
58. The Tempest ~ rewritten by Ann Keay Beneduce
59. In the Wake of the Boatman ~ by Jonathon Scott Fuqua 
60. Buddha’s Orphans: a novel ~  by Samrat Upadhyay
61. The Naperville White House ~ by Mark Pedriani
62. Corn Flakes with John Lennon ~ by Robert Hilburn
63. The Healer's War ~ by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
64. Pathfinder ~ by Orson Scott Card
65. Neverland ~ by Douglas Clegg
66. Palestine ~ by Joe Sacco
67. The Principles of Uncertainty ~ Maira Kalman
68. Hawkmoon: The Sword of the Dawn ~ by Michael Moorcock

Over by 18 authors – Challenge Complete!

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The GLBT Challenge 2010 ~The goal is to read 4 books that are GLBT related hopefully more.

1. RELEASE by Nicole Hadaway– (horror)– secondary glbt character
2. Soulless by Gail Carrigan – (urban fantasy) – secondary glbt character
3. Fun Home by Allison Bechdel (memoir – graphic novel) – main characters glbt
4. Keeper by Kathi Appelt (young adult/tween, mythic - slipstream) – secondary characters glbt
5. The Recipe Club by Ireal and Garfinkle
6. One Bloody Thing After Another by Joey Comeau
7. In the Wake of the Boatman ~ by Jonathon Scott Fuqua

Mini Challenges:

• Answer - Why Is this challenge important? – January 
• Fun Home by Allison Bechdel – March

This challenge is complete – Shellie only

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War Through the Generations 2010 – Vietnam: The Goal is to read 5 books and more about the Vietnam war.

1. The Recipe Club by Isreal and Garfinkle
2. Semper Cool by Barry Fixler
3. Chasing Stardust by Laurel-Rain Snow
4. Then Came Evening ~  Brian Hart
5. In the Wake of the Boatman ~ by Jonathon Scott Fuqua
6. The Healer's War ~ by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough

Challenge complete!

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The World Religion Challenge 2010: The Goal for this challenge is “unshepherded” - flexible.

1. The Reincarnationist series by MJ Rose (all three are in one post counts as three) – reincarnation beliefs from various religions 
2. By Fire, By Water by Mitchell J. Kaplan - Judaism
3. Children of Dust by Ali Eteraz – Islam
4. Dark Faith Short – various religions
5. My Name is Memory ~ Ann Brashares (reincarnation)
6. The Song of The Whale by Uri Orlev  (reincarnation)
7. Buddha’s Orphans: a novel ~  by Samrat Upadhyay

9 books

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Five Year Challenges

The Basics Challenge – Exploring Speculative Fiction

A personal project located at The Basics Challenge site. This is a 100 book challenge (with a 25% forgiveness rate) which overlaps with other challenges.

1. The Things That Keep Us Here - Carla Buckley (adult apocalyptic)
2. The Magic Warble – Victoria Simcox (children’s fantasy)
3. RELEASE by Nicole Hadaway – (horror, vampire)
4. Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan – (dark fantasy, fairytale retelling )
5. Soulless by Gail Carrigan – (urban fantasy, steam punk, vampire, werewolf)
6. The Metamorphosis by Frank Kafka (horror, classic, literature)
7. The Stupidest Angel - by Christopher Moore (horror, humor, zombie)
   - needs to be posted.
8. Life As We Knew It
9. The Dead and The Gone
10. This World We Live In (all linked here in one post) – (apocalyptic, young adult)
11. Inside Out by Maria Snyder (young adult – girls science fiction)
12. Cursed by Jeremy Shipp (horror- bizarro)
13. Keeper by Kathi Appelt (young adult/tween, mythic - slipstream)
14. The Russian Dreambook of Color and Flight by Gina Ochsner (slip stream, literary)
15. The Song of The Whale by Uri Orlev (fant/myth)
16. Post-Human by David Simpson (sci fi)
17. The Passage by Justin Cronin (horror)
18. Alone by Marissa Farrar (vamp horror/uf)
19. One Bloody Thing After Another by Joey Comeau (lgbt horror)
20. The Reincarnationist by MJ Rose (all three are in one post) - (paranormal)
21. The Memorist
22. The Hypnostist
23. The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist (dystopian sci fi)
24. Hothouse Flower by Margot Berwin (magical realism)
25. The Handbook for Lightening Strike Survivors ~ by Michele Young Stone
26. Haunted Legends ~ edited by Datlow and Mamatas
27. Dracula by Bram Stoker
28. My Name is Memory ~ Ann Brashares
29. Our Tragic Universe ~ Scarlett Thomas
30. The Arrival ~ (a wordless novel) by Shaun Tan
31. The Tempest ~ rewritten by Ann Keay Beneduce
32. Buddha’s Orphans: a novel ~  by Samrat Upadhyay 
33. The Healer's War ~ by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
34. Pathfinder ~ by Orson Scott Card

34 completed, 66 more to go  (Shellie only)

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Fill in the Gaps: This is a 100 book challenge which overlaps with other challenges.

1. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury (read - review link)
2. Something Wicked this way Comes - Ray Bradbury (complete - review link)
3. The Road - Cormac McCarthy (complete - review link)
4. Frankenstein - Mary Shelley 
5. The Metamorphosis - by Frank Kafka
6. Dracula by Bram Stoker
7. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
8. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (abandoned)

7 completed, 1 abandoned - 68 to go (Shellie only)

Links to review site.

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More - Completed Challenges from 2010 and 2009