The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly or for a monthly wrap up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme
First week back from vacation was crazy busy with work and life. It was stressful and each night I passed out before 9:30 pm. For the month of August, I read/listened to eight books but with vacation I am not surprised. I spent the weekend catching up on reviews and I worked. I did join threads and changed my Instagram name to @caffeinatedreviewer. Stay Caffeinated.
Last Week on the Blog
Witches Get Stuff Done By Molly Harper (audio review)
Gone Tonight By Sarah Pekkanen (audio review)
Audio Blitz: The Turncoat By T.J. London (spotlight/giveaway)
The House On Prytania By Karen White (book review)
The Winter Long By Seanan McGuire (audio review)
This Week on the Blog
Secrets In The Dark By Heather Graham (book review)
Magic Tides & Magic Claims By Ilona Andrews (audio review)
Lovelight Farms By B.K. Borison (guest post/giveaway)
Secrets Of Shooting Star Lake By Susanna Strom (book review)
A Red-Rose Chain By Seanan McGuire (audio review)
New Arrivals at the Caffeinated Cafe
Learn more:
Master of Death by Olivie Blake
Guardian of Madness by Michelle Manus
A special thanks to Macmillan Audio & Tantor Audio
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Mother’s Bread Dough follows a little boy and his mother who escape their home and bring their family’s sourdough with them to help spread hope, love, and joy. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Mother’s Bread Dough is my latest book on War and Peace theme. In a troubled world, this most challenging topic must be addressed in a way that is suitable for children.
We can’t prevent children from hearing the news. Disturbing information is pouring over them from so many directions. Fears and worries come to their mind, and someone must also answer their difficult questions.
I am the mother of three adult children, and I still remember very well when I had to explain complex things to them. It requires skill and sensitivity. Children need to get information, but at the same time, they need to be children who feel safe.
A unique group is children who themselves suffer the consequences of war in their lives. They need a particular understanding of their difficulties and encouragement to overcome them.
The stories and illustrations in children’s books can help deal with the most problematic issues. I hope this book also provides a natural basis for discussing war themes with children at home or in schools.
Could you elaborate on how the bread becomes such a significant element in their journey?
In this story, baking bread is a symbol of several things. It is an important task that mother and son have often taken care of at home together. The son’s role as the mother’s helper has grown continuously since the father went to war. Finally, he oversees heating the oven. The same one that he reluctantly leaves behind as they are rapidly evacuated in the middle of a baking session.
Baking delicious bread requires an excellent sourdough starter, which also represents spiritual roots to the home region and its people. It passes as a treasure from generation to generation and helps fill empty stomachs. On the other hand, the baking oven represents the home and its warmth. The entire house is later rebuilt around the stony heart of the fire pit.
In “Mother’s Bread Dough,” baking bread under challenging conditions during the escape journey also represents the mother and son’s determination and their goodwill towards strangers. Bread is always shared with others, reflecting caring and the warmth of their hearts.
Dealing with the complex topics of war and escaping from home is made more accessible in this story by connecting them to familiar everyday things. A mother constantly baking bread is essential for a sense of security – at least something always remains the same. The greatest heroes don’t always make a big fuss about themselves but work quietly and patiently for the good of others.
In what ways do Stefan Turk’s illustrations complement and enhance the storyline of Mother’s Bread Dough, and are there any specific illustrations that stand out in creating the right mood and atmosphere for the narrative?
Stefan Turk’s illustration has received much praise from readers and industry professionals. I am genuinely pleased with the result as well. Stefan worked tirelessly to create beautiful pictures. I dare to believe that the story I wrote inspired him – at least, he certainly understood its meaning. It was interesting to follow the progress of his work. Stefan created significant visual elements to interpret the story – complete with details that fascinate young children. I especially want to point out two pictures that mean a lot to me.
The first shows two mothers with children meeting in the attic of a deserted house. In an emergency, the human desire to help takes precedence over hostilities created by other people. Mothers are mothers, and children are children, regardless of which side of the border they live. The feverish woman resting in the dimness of the attic and the eyes of the others present in the dark space make a powerful image.
Another impressive illustration is related to the scene at the end of the book, where the mother and son return home from their challenging journey. All that remains of the family home is the stone oven and a sooty chimney. Mother and son immediately start heating the oven and decide to rebuild the house around it. It really touches my heart when I look at the picture of them standing on the ruins with their few belongings.
Fortunately, life can continue even in situations like those in my story and Stefan’s illustrations. The book’s purpose is to make the readers see that it is possible to show humanity even in the utmost difficulties. We need each other!
How did you manage to balance historical accuracy with creating a captivating and accessible story for young readers in “Mother’s Bread Dough”?
When I write books about war and peace, I often have a real-life starting point in mind. It helps me create a complete and realistic story. To that, I can add the real experiences of different people and imagined moods and situations that develop in my mind.
My mental landscape of this book is related to the events during the challenging decade of the breakup of Yugoslavia at the end of the last millennium. But as usual, I’m not mentioning any specific conflict, country, time, or region. Of course, I have told my background thoughts to the illustrator, who has perhaps also got some stimuli for his illustrations that way.
The story highlights the child’s point of view. Leaving home and escaping war is hard, especially as children don’t fully understand the situation and cannot influence it themselves. In this book, the boy’s whole world crumbles to pieces. By telling about his growth and survival in demanding circumstances, I want to encourage the reader to cope with their own challenges, understand the situations experienced by others, and show empathy.
This story is just one of many that reflect the situations children and adults face in times of war. And not all stories have a happy ending like this one. However, we always need each other to survive – and this applies all over the world.
Author Links: Facebook | Website
What should you do when your playing time is cut short or news reports are scary? What if no one has time to listen to you when you come home? Many ordinary situations can be difficult for young people, and that’s when you need a grown-up’s support. With a warm heart and playful mind, families can fin
The detailed world-building in ‘Down Below Beyond’ is one of its standout features. Can you share your process or techniques for creating such an intricate and immersive setting?
Down Below Beyond was a new playground for me to explore. I wanted to give myself more room to be creative, so instead of staying locked to one planet like in the Song of Kamaria, I conjured up Lodespace, a network of unique planets connected by the Fessenog Fleet’s trade empire. To get ideas for each planet, I looked at a lot of unique geological formations and biomes here on Earth, and amplified what I thought was interesting about them. From there, I thought about what sort of lifeform would live in such a place, and my alien races were all born. So a planet like Dintupp was a high gravity world with sharp peaked mountains. The kind of creatures that would live there would need to be tough and fit into various crag-shaped dwellings, and immediately I thought of crabs. The Dintuppans are crab-like and gorilla like, tough, huge, and perfectly suited for their environment. Just for one example.
Levort Aatra is a compelling character. How did you go about developing his persona and what or who were your influences in crafting his character?
Levort was born out of the needs for the plot at first. I knew I wanted to make a story about two friends who get their hands on a device that can take them anywhere, so Levort became the character who would need that the most. He was a scrap kid used by the Fessenog Fleet to sort through junk picked up on Tayoxe for anything useful. He’s locked to Tayoxe and the Fleet, unable to move through the giant portals that exist there. His parents had sold him to the sorting facility, and I pictured them as sort of mean people. Levort’s name comes from that, his name is a little ugly in it’s full display, but it can be shortened into something sweet like Lev (or uglier, like “Vort”, as Floem teases him often.) The idea of making him a prospector was heavily influenced by Gateway by Frederick Pohl. I had read that book recently and loved it, and the idea of having characters gamble their lives for a good score inspired me, although I took it in a very different direction.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
At the moment, I am focusing entirely on publishing Down Below Beyond, so nothing in the pipeline yet! I have a few ideas for spin-offs or other one-offs in Lodespace. I want to use this playground I built more. I always wait for the right idea to find me before I go full force into it. I need my books to be very different from each other because I don’t like to retread ground. So all I can say is, stay tuned!
Levort Aatra is a prospector on the planet Tayoxe. While scavenging the wastes of the abandoned world, he discovers a mysterious starship and stakes his claim on it. Little does he know, he just put a big target on his back.
DOWN BELOW BEYOND is a stand-alone sprawling sci-fi fantasy adventure filled with aliens, planets, and portals set in a universe crafted by T. A. Bruno, author of the award-winning Song of Kamaria trilogy.
Taken follows a widow from the twenty-first century who is transported back in time to 1756 and held hostage while falling in love with a British soldier. What was the inspiration for your story?
The inspiration for my story began well over two decades ago when my sister and I had newly graduated from college. She and I had always had a strong affinity for history. While she loved British history, I loved American history, and we both fantasized about being time travelers to experience those histories because we loved learning about all that had taken place within those particular eras.
As children, our parents loved traveling with us throughout the country visiting historic locations, which inspired our imaginations growing up. And, while growing up loving period dramas depicted on TV and in movies, we read many classics written by authors from the American Transcendental Period and British Romantic Period. During the same time, she and I were also introduced to historical romance novels as teenagers, which I loved and devoured.
Being fond of the romance genre, it wasn’t until a few years later after college when I became inspired to write about a young widow who was transformed from her sorrowful experience after traveling through time, where she discovers a new life and embarks on a journey of new found love. I also chose New England as the setting for my story, because I’m familiar with the area and have a deep affection for it after having gone to school in western Massachusetts.
Was the character’s backstory something you always had, or did it develop as you were writing?
Although I outlined my story, my story also began developing organically as I was writing the character and scenes. As a result, the character’s backstory emerged like many other scenes in the story which took on a life of their own.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
One theme that I felt was important to explore was the idea of overcoming loss in life and discovering new hope in choosing to experience what life has to offer after all. Another theme that I felt equally important to explore was that love heals and when it’s mutually found and accepted, love cannot be broken and transcends all that was ever known as it brings forth the true sense of happiness.
Can you tell us more about where the story and characters go after book one?
This is a fun question! And, while I hope not to spoil what comes next after book one, I will start by saying that book one establishes the foundation of the characters’ relationship as they encounter each other under trying circumstances. After book one, the characters continue to grow as they learn more deeply about each other. They continue to experience trying circumstances which will threaten their security and the love that they share for each other as the French and Indian War progresses within their midst. Their new trials will determine the strength of their bond to each other as they also confront their differences as it relates to their unique life experiences. As it is a romance, despite their tribulations, the love they share for each other triumphs against all odds as the saga continues.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
They say time heals all wounds, but it has bound me instead.
Matt was my husband. I was supposed to be with him for the rest of my life when the accident happened and took him away from me. I wouldn’t love anyone else. I believed.
Until, I meet Leif. He tells me to trust him and to take my chance with him.
Except, I’m his hostage. Not only am I his hostage, but time is holding me captive too, and I’m suddenly trapped in a world that is not mine. The year is 1756, and I am strangely in Massachusetts Bay Colony. War between Great Britain and France explodes across New England, and terrorizes the territory.
I don’t know how I got here, and all I want to do is find a way home. But, the more time I’m stranded here, the more I spend time with Leif, and I am compelled toward him.
Our lives are becoming inextricably entwined, and I’m afraid of losing everything that I once knew and loved.
I begin questioning where I truly belong as I think of the life I left behind.
I wonder if I’m going to withstand this, because all I know for certain is he is bound to my survival… and to the truth of why I’m here.
*If you enjoyed the suspense and mystery in books like Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, you will love this thrilling historical romance!
*The first book in the Taken series by E. C. Roderick featuring a rich, romantic adventure of a strange twist of fate that binds a British soldier fighting in the French and Indian War and a young American woman from the twenty-first century.
Places We Left Behind shares your experiences of making a marriage work despite differences in culture and religion and even identifying where ‘home’ is. Why was this an important book for you to write?
When I was little, I remember my parents casting judgment on close friends after she left her husband and their two sons circa 1973. I remember my mother tsk, tsking that you never know what goes on behind closed doors.
Twenty-something years later, behind our doors, my husband and I flirted—and fought—about core issues: country and religion. For years, I thought our struggles were more intense and our issues more divisive than other marriages in my midst. Sure, I didn’t know what went on behind anyone else’s doors, but I envied friends who grew up in the same community/culture/country or who shared the same religious views/practices as their spouses.
While growing our family, we moved in search of home. Every time we met new people, I sensed an inability for them to digest our backstories: where we were born, how we met, why we had such a hard time planting roots. No matter how many times I shared the facts, I felt misunderstood or invisible, similar to how I felt in my family life.
Writing our story was my way of validating it—us—and why we stayed together despite our differences. It was also my way of trying to make sense of the choices we made, the deals we struck, the crossroads we reached. And in so doing, it reminded me of everything on my imaginary list of what I wanted in a life partner. Of love.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
How crucial it is to stay awake and not become complacent in a relationship. How important it is to understand the meaning of compromise in a couple/family. How imperative it is to be open to change.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
The lowest of our marital low points, the sleeping back-to-back in a bed of anger, the uttering of ugly thoughts, the acknowledgement of selfish and self-centered feelings. The chapters that made me teary not during the writing as much as while rereading and editing: 4 : 1, Truth or Lie? Heavy, Back in White Plains, Slay.
I understood that the only way to write this story was to turn the camera on myself, to reveal my underbelly. To stop pointing a finger at my husband and to accept the part I’d played in our marriage. And nothing about that was easy.
Writing in untraditional prose felt necessary; at times and ironically, the words did not suffice. By pushing conventional boundaries, I freed myself from everything that had encaged me, namely the role of Good Jewish Daughter/Wife/Mother (and Jewish Guilt). Long, long overdue.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from your story?
The importance of following your heart while maintaining a sense of self in a relationship. When I agreed to practice my inherited religion Philippe’s way, I let go of and lost myself.
On the writing front, the importance of playing on the page, which is both freeing and cleansing.
★★★★★ “For anyone who has ever loved deeply and been willing to take risks for the sake of love.” Rachel Barenbaum author of Atomic Anna
When American-born Jennifer falls in love with French-born Philippe during the First Intifada in Israel, she understands their relationship isn’t perfect.
Both 23, both Jewish, they lead very different lives: she’s a secular tourist, he’s an observant immigrant. Despite their opposing outlooks on two fundamental issues—country and religion—they are determined to make it work. For the next 20 years, they root and uproot their growing family, each longing for a singular place to call home.
In Places We Left Behind, Jennifer puts her marriage under a microscope, examining commitment and compromise, faith and family while moving between prose and poetry, playing with language and form, daring the reader to read between the lines.
Sleeping with a Wall Street Banker follows a couple in New York whose relationship is threatened by the man’s ex-girlfriend. What was the initial idea behind this story, and how did that transform as you were writing the novel?
Foremost, the book is based on a true story. The catalyst for this book was my own experience dealing with a broken relationship and the search to understand why and how it happened. That said, I weave real people into my characters so….my husband and the life he led were an inspiration. From Main Street to Wall Street and London, as well as adventures in between coupled with the individuals he’s encountered – good, bad and really bad transformed this story.
Jake, Alice, and Jessica are all interesting characters in their own way. What character did you enjoy writing for? Was there one that was more challenging to write for?
Yes, Jake, Alice, and Jessica are all interesting characters in their own way. I enjoyed writing for Jessica. I found it more challenging because her character is afflicted with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). The writing challenge is due to the complexity and depth of the condition. DID, previously known as Multiple Personality Disorder, is characterized by the presence of two or more distinct personality states, each with its unique pattern of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and self. It requires a nuanced understanding of psychology to accurately portray these switching identities, which can vary in age, gender, knowledge, behaviors, and even physical characteristics. Plus, any misrepresentation runs the risk of propagating harmful stereotypes or misinformation, adding another dimension of responsibility to the task. As such, writing a character with DID demands not only extensive research and sensitivity but also literary skill to convey the character’s experiences authentically and respectfully.
Do you write more by logic or intuition, or some combination of the two? Can you summarize your writing process?
As a writer of a psychological thriller my writing style combines logical detail with intuitive understanding of human emotions. This genre demands extensive plotting, neat narrative structures, and intricate detailing, all of which lean on my logical faculties. It’s crucial for me to build suspense, introduce unexpected twists, and maintain an eerie, tense atmosphere with a solid logical foundation, ensuring the story remains plausible to keep readers engrossed.
A psychological thriller delves into the depths of the human psyche, exploring motives, hidden fears, and quiet suspicions that drive their actions. This requires an intuitive understanding of human nature, emotions, and responses under stressful situations. Intuition becomes crucial when defining character motivations and reactions, painting vivid emotional panoramas, and creating moral dilemmas that add complexity to the story.
In essence, I employ both logic and intuition, a balanced blend of rigorous plot construction with insightful peeks into character minds. The writing style usually involves precise, evocative language, intended to create an immersive atmosphere and push readers to question and speculate until the mystery unravels.
Jake Logan is an extraordinary character that I think has more stories to tell. Where does the next book in the series take him?
Mired in grief over the recent murder of his girlfriend, Alice Francis, at the hands of his psychotic ex-lover, Jessica, former Navy SEAL turned Wall Street banker Jake Logan is suddenly called back into action. While his team’s primary target is internationally known terrorist financier Asyd Omar Batdadi, a.k.a. “the Bat,” the mission soon becomes personal for Jake when he learns that Jessica — a dangerous woman with dissociative identity disorder — is wrapped up in the plot. In fact, Jake’s connection to Jessica is the very reason he has been reactivated as a SEAL.
Their efforts to capture or kill Batdadi and his associates soon take Jake and his fellow SEALs to various locations in Europe and the United States, but the wily terrorist manages to elude them at every turn. In the midst of their hunt, they learn that, with Jessica’s help, Batdadi is plotting a bold terrorist strike on American soil.
For Batdadi, his terrorist act is a form of revenge for America’s interference in the lives of his Middle Eastern brethren, a chance to put himself in the “terrorist hall of fame” alongside names like Osama Bin Laden. For Jessica, her move to help Batdadi is the ultimate form of payback against the journalists whom she holds responsible for ruining her life and her future with Jake.
Battling a ticking clock, international criminal masterminds, and his own grief, Jake strives to transform his troubled relationship with Jessica from a liability into an asset, his only hope of saving thousands of innocent lives — not to mention his soul.
Lawyer Alice Francis leaves her life in London for a new start with Wall Street banker Jake Logan in New York. She learns quickly that Jake is a man consumed by his need to control. He loves but does so on his own terms. When Jake’s ex-girlfriend, Jessica, finds out about Jake’s relationship with Alice, Alice’s life takes a dark turn. Despite the trappings of success from a Wall Street career, Jake is a man tormented by the irrational guilt he carries from his past relationship with Jessica. Jessica is unmarried and childless with a biological clock that has all but stopped ticking, and Jake is her back-up plan. Jessica’s intent is to blackmail Jake and force him into a horrible relationship that was never meant to be. When Alice enters the picture, though, Jessica’s plans are turned upside down. Mentally unbalanced, she resorts to extreme measures. If she can’t have Jake, no one will.
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