The Divining Wand

Randy Susan Meyers debuts tomorrow — Tuesday, January, 19, 2010 — with her highly anticipated and widely acclaimed novel, The Murderer’s Daughters. And, while a poignantly bittersweet cover depicts the title’s characters running alone across a boardwalk, please know that their steps are only the beginning of a 30 year journey of accepting the past and moving on to the future.

For as the back of the Advanced Readers’ Edition proclaims:

THEIR MOTHER ASKED THE IMPOSSIBLE.
THEIR FATHER DID THE UNTHINKABLE.
AND WHAT HAPPENS TO 10-YEAR OLD LULU AND HER YOUNGER SISTER, MERRY, YOU’LL NEVER FORGET.

The Praise for The Murderer’s Daughters includes:

“Randy Susan Meyers’s sensitive story about the legacy of domestic violence is painful to read at times, but unforgettable. Meyers delivers a clear-eyed, insightful story about domestic violence and survivor’s guilt in “The Murderer’s Daughters.” It’s an impressively executed novel, disturbing and convincing.”—Boston Globe

“Meyers’ empathetic, socially conscious debut considers the burdens carried and eventually shed by two sisters, survivors of domestic violence. Ten-year-old Lulu and eight-year-old Merry are caught up in adult turmoil when their father murders their mother in July 1971. Over the subsequent three decades, Lulu feels ineradicable guilt for letting him into the apartment that day and takes on the responsibility of protecting her sister. Eminently readable . . . with affecting moments and insights.”—Kirkus Review

“Mesmerizing…empathetic…Meyers explores the bond between two sisters…and how their bond is tested by the reappearance of the past.”—Jenna Blum, author of Those Who Save Us.”

In The 7 Question Interview with Randy Susan Meyers @WritingRaw.com, the author — when asked if there is something she would like to say to her readers — states:

“Yes, more than anything, I hope The Murderer’s Daughters provides a page turning and
thoughtful read. I hope the “what ifs’ in the story engage readers. I believe that I have
a covenant with them, to provide a story that is honestly and deeply written and which
is meant to touch, and to entertain, and inform them.”

And very personal “what if’s” are why Randy wrote the book:

“When my sister was eight, my mother warned her against letting my father into our Brooklyn apartment. Perhaps she also cautioned me, but I was barely five and can’t remember. Years later, as adults, when my sister and I began exploring our childhood in the way siblings do-comparing scars and recollections, piling up wrongs and shining up the funny stories-my sister said:

‘”Remember when I let our father in the house and he tried to kill Mom?”‘

“She swears I was there (where else would I be at that age?) but I didn’t remember any of it. As the years went by, and my sister fed me more details, the scene rooted in my mind and became my memory also. I heard my father sweet-talking his way in. My mother’s screams echoed.”

Please read the entire Backstory.

That backstory evolved into this synopsis:

Lulu and Merry’s childhood was never ideal, but on the day before Lulu’s tenth birthday their father drives them into a nightmare. He’s always hungered for the love of the girl’s self-obsessed mother; after she throws him out, their troubles turn deadly.



The Murderer’s Daughters is narrated in turn by Merry and Lulu. The book follows the sisters as children, as young women, and as adults, always asking how far forgiveness can stretch, while exploring sibling loyalty, the aftermath of family violence, and the reality of redemption.

You may also read Chapter 1.

Minor *spoiler alert*: For those hesitant that this novel may prove too dark and/or violent, please be assured that all the physical violence is contained in Chapter 1. In a sense that first chapter acts as the novel’s backstory — the unthinkable has been committed and now it’s the daughters’ story of surviving the consequences.

This is a gorgeous novel — with breathtaking writing — about one of the most vile of all crimes. Often described as an “act of passion,” the killing of a spouse/partner ironically is in deed a love lost.

Consider how often newscasts or newspaper report such murders. How commonplace they have become, leaving us to sigh, shake our heads at “how sad,” and then to forget. Yet do your thoughts linger a bit longer when learning “the children have been taken in by family”, or are “in foster care?” That information is given to comfort, to let us know that the children are being taken care of…they’re safe, they’re fine.

What Randy Susan Meyers reminds us is nothing could be further from the truth. The guilt, shame and painful loss of both parents will last — in some degree — forever, affecting not only childhood but adulthood too. Lulu and Merry try to heal and hide from their emotional scars by coping in different ways, but neither can outrun the past. Only accepting what is as it is can ease their burden of being a murderer’s daughter.

Using her informed working background with batterers, domestic violence victims, and at-risk youth impacted by family violence, this debut novelist tells a sensitive and very genuine tale of intense pain, anger, and the challenge to lead a normal life.

Randy Susan Meyers writes with her heart about hope of the human soul. You’ll find that and more in The Murderer’s Daughters. Please take them home with you…

Book Giveaway: Yes The Divining Wand is giving away a copy of The Murderer’s Daughters to anyone who leaves a comment on this post and is selected in a random drawing. The deadline is Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. EST. with the winner to be announced here in Thursday’s post.

There are two opposing views when it comes to writing — either write what you know or write what you don’t know. Melanie Benjamin chose what she didn’t know because it piqued her curiosity and what she learned is shared in her historical fiction debut, Alice I Have Been, to be released tomorrow, January 12, 2010.

The backstory, catalyst, motivation to write a book can be a fascinating tale in and of itself and, for this author, it certainly was when several years ago she visited the Art Institute of Chicago and viewed a traveling exhibit called “Dreaming in Pictures: The Photography of Lewis Carroll.” That experience sent her into a personal wondering land as she explains in “Alice I Have Been” – Author Interview – Melanie Benjamin at Paperback Writer – Books, Author Interviews and Writing:

“I had little knowledge of Lewis Carroll – or Charles Dodgson, his real name – prior to that moment. I certainly had no idea he was a pioneer of early photography! In the exhibit there was one image in particular that stood out; it was the very worldly, very wise face of 7-year-old Alice Liddell as a beggar girl. The caption said that she was the inspiration for Alice in Wonderland. I hadn’t known there ever was a real little girl named Alice; I wondered what happened to her after she grew up. I wondered what happened between the two of them, Dodgson and Alice, to result in such a startling photograph. I thought that it might make a good story; it took me a while to get around to researching it but when I did, I knew right away that I had to write it.”

The truth is that it took the author four years and the urging of a good friend to realize how little she knew of the entire story behind Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and how much she wanted to know what happened to the child once she grew up. That convinced Melanie to tell the story from Alice’s point of view, giving Alice her own voice.

The Synopsis:

Few works of literature are as universally beloved as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Now, in this spellbinding historical novel, we meet the young girl whose bright spirit sent her on an unforgettable trip down the rabbit hole–and the grown woman whose story is no less enthralling.




But oh my dear, I am tired of being Alice in Wonderland. Does it sound ungrateful?



Alice Liddell Hargreaves’s life has been a richly woven tapestry: As a young woman, wife, mother, and widow, she’s experienced intense passion, great privilege, and greater tragedy. But as she nears her eighty-first birthday, she knows that, to the world around her, she is and will always be only “Alice.” Her life was permanently dog-eared at one fateful moment in her tenth year–the golden summer day she urged a grown-up friend to write down one of his fanciful stories.



That story, a wild tale of rabbits, queens, and a precocious young child, becomes a sensation the world over. Its author, a shy, stuttering Oxford professor, does more than immortalize Alice–he changes her life forever. But even he cannot stop time, as much as he might like to. And as Alice’s childhood slips away, a peacetime of glittering balls and royal romances gives way to the urgent tide of war. 



For Alice, the stakes could not be higher, for she is the mother of three grown sons, soldiers all. Yet even as she stands to lose everything she treasures, one part of her will always be the determined, undaunted Alice of the story, who discovered that life beyond the rabbit hole was an astonishing journey.



A love story and a literary mystery, Alice I Have Been brilliantly blends fact and fiction to capture the passionate spirit of a woman who was truly worthy of her fictional alter ego, in a world as captivating as the Wonderland only she could inspire

Indeed it is an astonishing journey that begins with a weary Alice who leads the reader back to her Victorian childhood of privilege and means in Oxford, England. You may read both the Prologue and Excerpt from Chapter One and likely be as intrigued and impressed by reviews which include:

“Benjamin draws on one of the most enduring relationships in children’s literature… spinning out the heartbreaking story of Alice from Alice in Wonderland…Focusing on three eras in Alice’s life, Benjamin offers a finely wrought portrait of Alice that seamlessly blends facts with fiction. This is book club gold.”
—Publishers Weekly starred review, “Pick of the Week”

“Benjamin’s novel imagines the truth behind the mystery of Lewis Carroll’s relationship with his child muse, Alice Liddell. Although the shadow of inappropriateness always lingers, this is truly a love story, albeit one that could happily exist only in a fairy tale. This novel will have wide appeal as it includes history, romance, literature, and a great deal of suspense.”
—Library Journal (Joy Humphrey, Pepperdine University Law Library, Malibu, CA)

“Genuinely moving”
—Booklist

There is more Praise for this remarkable novel that reads so true and poignant. For it is young Alice — with straight dark hair and fringe — that will likely capture your heart. As the middle of three close-in-age sisters (from a very large family) she was the defiantly different one, chafing under the Victorian rules and restrictions for young girls. After all would a young Alice, who longed to be free and run through the grass in her bare feet, raise eyebrows today?

Seemingly more of a free spirit than anything else, Alice Liddell has her childhood dreams of wanting to stay young forever, while asking tall, thin, stuttering Charles Dodgson “to wait” for her. Indeed she is the perfect muse — full of adventure and wonder — who eventually pays a high personal price for what might have happened on a perfect day.

Although Alice I Have Been is historical fiction, Melanie Benjamin writes with such stunning clarity and heartfelt insight that the reader will likely believe the entire story to be true. And, though the author acknowledges where she has taken liberties — when documentation was unavailable — perhaps those liberties were the actual truths.

A truly beautiful and memorable novel on its own, the author has enhanced the reading experience by filling her website with the factual world of Alice. Please visit to learn about Victorian Oxford, Alice in Oxford, and even take a Virtual Tour of Oxford.

TRUST: You’ll be enchanted by the curious aspects of Alice Liddell’s adventures in real live and love.

TRUTH: Alice I Have Been is a keeper and may well become a classic in its own right. So remember that tomorrow you have a very important date at your favorite bookstore, don’t be late!

Book Giveaway: Please leave a comment on this post by 7:00 p.m. EST
Wednesday, January 13, 2010 for a chance to win a copy of Alice I Have Been. The winner — chosen from a random drawing — will be announced here in Thursday’s post.

Although Maria Garcia-Kalb is excited and proud to be the first of The Debutante Ball Class of 2010 to appear in a bookstore near you with 101 Ways to Torture Your Husband, she’s also a bit dazed. After all her dream was to become a vet, a job quickly replaced by the idea of following in Barbara Walter’s’ footsteps…yet here she is a published author!

Deb Maria explained her journey as a writer when introducing herself in the September 3, 2009 post, Hello folks! Is this thing on????. When TV didn’t beckon, but FM radio did, Maria found her niche:

“Little did I know radio would be my salvation (sounds of angels singing). The second I cracked open my first live microphone, I knew I had finally found my place in the universe. I slowly discovered who I really was, growing along with my listeners who pushed me to be incredibly creative, outrageously silly, and brutally honest–which turns out is my special gift. I opened-up about my tumultuous marriage, my wacky Latino family, and my Uncle Larry’s cat who he swears was gay. I held nothing back. My life on the air was an open book, and one day I actually said ‘“I think I’m going to write a book about how annoying men can be, and how we should be allowed to strangle them at will when they behave like idiots!”’

“Years later, I found myself in the basement of our Long Island home actually penning what would become “101 Ways to Torture Your Husband.” Frankly, the end result looked more like Ted Kaczynski’s “manifesto,” and when I was done, it was so juicy I wanted to share it with every woman I know. Married, dating, engaged, internet-involved…it didn’t matter. Anyone who was forced to deal with a MAN needed to get a hold of my book and discover ways to alleviate the stress. That’s what men cause 99.9 percent of the time. Trust me, I couldn’t have written a book without having my dear spouse, but men are mostly put into our lives to remind us about Eve’s bone-headed move in paradise. Men never let us forget that, but 101 Ways to Torture Your Husband is basically payback in book form. I mean “WE” didn’t force Eve to listen to that stupid snake and scarf down the apple! Why should we suffer with no retaliation? 101 Ways to Torture Your Husband evens the score once and for all. It’s basically a handy “manual,” explaining (in detail) stuff you can do to drive your man bonkers in a most insidious way. Torture doesn’t have to be ugly. It can be fun and entertaining.”

In other words, Deb Maria’s writing is pure humor. And, on her attorneys’ advice, she even offers the following DISCLAIMER: “This is just for fun and amusement, and not intended to serious hurt your significant other in any way.”

Here’s Early Praise for 101 Ways to Torture Your Husband:

“Deliciously devilish…and downright hilarious! Love it!”__Jill Zarin, “The Real Housewives of New York City”

“A perfect blend of fantasy and laughter. I wish all my patients would read this book!”__Manhattan therapist Carrie Gelber Rosenfield, PsyD

And, according to the book’s description, readers will discover that;

“101 Ways to Torture Your Husband” is a fun, devilish manual for every wife who dreams of making her husband pay for his naughty wrongdoings.

Even if you don’t execute any of the hilarious scenarios, 101 Ways to Torture Your Husband is guaranteed to lighten your mood and put a smile on your face – at least until your man comes home demanding dinner!

So what are some of the author’s clever means of torture? Well there’s burying the remote in the backyard; having lunch with an ex; picking a fight during the (football/basketball/baseball) game; booking a male masseuse for your next massage; deleting his DVR recordings…and many more. Aha, you “get” the idea that such torture is designed to annoy and frustrate him to the point that he’ll “never misbehave again.”

Perhaps, although Deb Maria has that covered too by including risk factors that rank the degree of a torture tactic and how long it will take your man to learn his lesson. This allows you to select what would be the most appropriate torture — be it mental, physical, quick, slow or miscellaneous.

On the last page of her “manual,” the writer recaps why torturing your husband is permissible. However the true conclusion may well have been written in Debutante Maria Garcia-Kalb’s December 17, 2009 post, Dedications can make for altercations. Please read the entire piece, though the most significant and loving sentiments are:

“Just in case you haven’t figured it out, “101 Ways to Torture Your Husband” is all about my dear hubby. Yes, its about “torturing” him of course, but in the end, every single page in my book was inspired by this man who’s been everything to me; friend, lover, father, therapist, co-parent, and at some point (in the hopefully very distant future) he’ll become my annoying nursing home roommate. Lord give me strength.”

101 Ways to Torture Your Husband is available for purchase now. Read and enjoy it…as long as you truly love someone!

Book Giveaways: The Divining Wand will be awarding two copies of 101 Ways to Torture Your Husband by randomly drawing from the comments left on this post before the deadline of Sunday, January 10, 2010 at 7:00 P.M. EST with the winners to be announced in Monday’s post. Please remember that the Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood Giveaway contest remains open to all who comment on this post. The deadline for comments is 7:00 p.m. EST tonight with the the winners to be announced in tomorrow’s post.

On Saturday, January 2, 2010, Eileen Cook (Unpredictable, What Would Emma Do? YA), returned to twirl around the Debutante Ball with the post, Graduate Deb Eileen Cook is back with a new book!. And, within that post, she confessed:

“My third book is coming out this week and I’ll admit I still am amazed and thrilled. I feel so very fortunate to have the chance to do what I love. I practically can’t wait for someone to ask me what I do, so I can tell them. It’s almost enough to make me like going through customs at the airport: ‘“What’s my occupation? Why, as a matter of fact, I’m a novelist.”’

Without question Eileen is a terrific novelist and her venture into the YA genre with What Would Emma Do? earned her high praise. And tomorrow, January 5, 2010, she follows with her second YA release, Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood.

Indeed the title and book cover art could be considered intriguing or even eye-brow raising, however the backstory might prove even more so. After all where did this idea come from? Well according to the author:

“The topic of revenge was interesting to me in two ways. One, I enjoyed the book The Count of Monte Cristo and was intrigued to see how it could play out in a high school setting and the book is all about revenge. Secondly, I think it’s a common experience to imagine getting revenge on someone who has done us wrong. Reading gives us a great chance to live out things we would never do in real life, so tackling revenge seemed an interesting area to explore. Reading about revenge can be cathartic, and in this case, hopefully funny. ”

In addition to her English major, Eileen also has a background in counseling — not surprising as she continues to explain the storytelling process:

“As I wrote the book I realized that it wasn’t really about the process of getting revenge. Helen is struggling with letting go of the past. Lauren, and what happened in 8th grade colors how she sees everything. It holds her back from being who she really could be. She has to decide what it will take to get over what happened. Will revenge actually make her feel better? Is there such a thing as evening the score — or does life have to take care of itself? Is there really anything she can do to Lauren that will change where things are now? As I began to explore these topics with the characters I found myself really interested to see how they played out. I think so many of us have things that happened in the past that we hang onto even though they may be keeping us from doing great things. I wanted to make the story a great over the top fun read, but I hope readers walk away thinking about what might be holding them back and learning to let go.”

Based on a literary classic and all the above questions, the story evolved and became condensed into this synopsis:

Popularity is the best revenge.

Watch out, Lauren Wood. Things are about to get bitchy.

Actually an even better introduction is Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood, Chapter One. And, of course, there’s also the Book Trailer Video:

TRUTH: Eileen Cook is a novelist who raises her status with every book. Last week she announced the signing of a two book deal with her publisher.

TRUST: Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood is smart, clever, realistic with a bit of fictional fun, and characters who jump off the page and enter the world as totally believable, including Helen with her revenge-seeking plan.

Simply put this YA novel is brilliant and impressively insightful thanks to the author’s deft hand in handling “meanness,” hypocrisy,” and “revenge” — which is more about “growing up and letting go.” In fact it’s for all ages because, no matter one’s years, maturity has been known to slip when someone gets under our skin…or worse.

Revenge may not be sweet, yet Eileen Cook’s Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood definitely is. Please treat yourself, your daughter, your niece to a tale of human behavior: the good, the bad, and the most valuable — being true to oneself!

Book Giveaway: The Divining Wand will be awarding two copies of Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood via a random drawing of all comments left on this post. The deadline for comments is 7:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday, January 6, 2010 with the the winners to be announced in Thursday’s post.

According to the Random House Author Spotlight on Barrie Summy, she and her two younger sisters grew up following their parents’ rules. And the author admits:

“One of the toughest and meanest rules was about books. The mother and father divided books into two groups: meat-and-potato books and dessert books. The rule went like this: You could read as many meat-and-potato books in a row as you wanted, but you had to read at least one meat-and-potato book to get to a dessert book. Nancy Drew mysteries were dessert books.The smartest and bravest and most beautiful daughter (that’s the first daughter, in case you’ve forgotten) loved Nancy Drew mysteries more than anything in world. She vowed to her sisters that she would grow up and write a Nancy Drew mystery. Maybe even two, in a row. She might even write a meat-and-potato book, but she’d definitely start with Nancy Drew. As it turns out, she grew up and wrote I So Don’t Do Mysteries starring thirteen-year-old Sherry Holmes Baldwin. And discovered it was much tougher to write a book than to read ten meat-and-potato books back to back.”

Nevertheless Barrie prevailed and her second Sherry Holmes Baldwin book, I So Don’t Do Spooky, (for middle-grade readers) will be released tomorrow, December 8, 2009, just in time for the holidays which are of course known for their sweets and desserts.

Now are you’re wondering how the author convinces reluctant Sherry Baldwin to give in and do spooky? It’s basically the same reason why she did mysteries — for her mom, a policewoman, who died in a drug bust well over a year ago, and is now a ghost able only to make contact with her daughter. Mom is still on duty, though, trying her best to solve crimes. Since that’s a bit difficult from the spirit world, she enlists Sherry’s real life resourcefulness, determination, and bravery as they become a mother-daughter team. And, while their first solving of a mystery had a more general feel, their spooky adventure is much more personal. Read Sherry’s explanation in this synopsis:

Someone’s out to get Sherry’s stepmom. . . .Can she save her before it’s too late?

But . . . I so don’t do spooky.

Clear, isn’t it, from a typical 13-year old? Now Sherry must help her mom to protect her stepmom from harm. For more clarification, there’s the I So Don’t Do Spooky Book Trailer:

Although it’s been a year since I So Don’t Do Mysteries debuted, I So Don’t Do Spooky picks up only two months later. Within that time frame, though, Sherry has matured to the point of accepting her stepmom. In fact that’s the primary backstory for the book as Barrie explains:

“Part of the trick, I think, in writing a good mystery is to give the detective a strong reason to solve it. A reason more compelling than mere curiosity. There are a few solid reasons for Sherry to buy into a case involving her stepmother. The Ruler is now family PLUS the Academy of Spirits assigns her the case PLUS her mother wants The Ruler safe and able to care for her children.

“As time goes on, Sherry comes to appreciate The Ruler more and more. That said, The Ruler is a parent figure and ALL that entails to a tween! Hmmm…..and I do like that the reader often sees the truer, gentler side of The Ruler, and it’s Sherry who’s playing catch up.”

Having read the Advanced Reader Copy, what this fairy godmother liked was that a young adolescent could work through her feelings of losing a mother, gaining a stepmother and understanding that — on different levels — they’re both there for her and it all makes sense in a quirky way. Yet Sherry isn’t a quirk character.

Instead Barrie has created a very believable 13-year old who would rather shop than study, stereotypes her peers, and spends far too much time flirting with and kissing her boyfriend Josh. While I’d rather have all of the above left out of the novel (why perpetuate this behavior?), it does allow the reader to accept Sherry as “real” despite her paranormal activities. Also, to be fair, the author redeems her heroine who ultimately gets her priorities straight.

I So Don’t Do Spooky is seriously fun with lessons of life to be learned from a mystery. And, while Barrie Summy’s parents thought of Nancy Drew books as dessert, Sherry Holmes Baldwin books are tasty treats with substance — the perfect choice for gift-giving to any young girl in your life!

Announcement: The Divining Wand is giving away two copies of Barrie Summy’s I So Don’t Do Spooky. To enter, please leave a comment on this post by Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m. EST. The winners will be chosen from a random drawing and announced here in Thursday’s post.

Hear the clock ticking? Unlike Jack Bauer and company, who always have 24 hours to find the evil mastermind and save the world, Richard Doetsch (The Thieves of Heaven, The Thieves of Faith) only gives his main character 12 hours to prevent a horrific crime from destroying his personal life in The 13th Hour to be released on December 29, 2009.

Billed as “A THRILLER,” this novel takes the reader on a unique race against time by posing the question, What if you could reach back in time and change a single moment…?
 That’s correct, another time travel storyline but this one has a twist as the author notes:

“You are not mistaken as you turn to the next page and find Chapter 12.

“The chapters of this book are in reverse order and are to be read that way for reasons that will become evident upon your journey.”

Oh the fun of the chilling unexpected, the mental challenging turns, and the heart-stopping maniacal moments, seconds, minutes that this thriller holds.

Here is a synopsis:


A mesmerizing thriller — told in reverse! The 13th Hour is the story of a man given the chance to go back in time in one-hour increments to prevent a vicious crime from destroying his life.

A surprising and utterly original thriller, The 13th Hour is pure page-turning suspense — full of double crosses, cliffhangers, and shocking revelations.

Now please watch The 13th Hour video:

And you may also read The First Chapter.

Having heard about The 13th Hour earlier in the fall, this Fairy Godmother felt more than pleased to accept an Advanced Reader Edition with the promise of, “You will LOVE it!” And indeed I did.

The reading experience was a change of pace — a fast-moving, curiosity that dares the mind to remember what’s already happened and what needs to be changed. For, in this time travel, every hour takes two steps backward, one forward, and every new action affects the future.

Intelligent, clever, and thoughtfully moral, The 13th Hour is also just plain fun. In fact the novel is a refreshing escape that energizes the imagination, even while leaving it a bit breathless.

However there is one criticism, that being poor timing with the book’s release date. The 13th Hour is the perfect gift for…anyone, and it’s difficult to understand who scheduled the release for after the holidays. Although TRUTH: Happy New Year gifts can be among the best surprises!

And, finally, who is Richard Doetsch, this thrilling author? Well, according to his website:

“Richard is a respected expert in the field of commercial and residential real estate, having served as the president, managing director, and owner of several large national real estate firms. He currently runs his own investment firm with offices in New York and Connecticut.


While many authors choose to write about thrills, Richard has lived his life experiencing them.”

To learn more, visit About the Author and/or friend Richard Doetsch on Facebook.

Whatever you do, though, remember that The 13th Hour is coming to a local bookstore or online retailer on December 29, 2009. PROMISE: If you read this book, you will love it!

Announcement: The winners of Wendy Nelson Tokunaga’s new novel, Love in Translation, are: Janel and Reiko. Congratulations to you both! Please email: diviningwand (at) gmail (dot) com with a mailing address and your book will be sent out promptly. Also many thanks to everyone who commented, my wish is that you’ll all have the opportunity to read the book.

Love in Translation, Wendy Nelson Tokunaga’s second novel available in bookstores tomorrow, November 24, 2009, is simply that — her love story to Japan and all things Japanese. Of course if you read last Wednesday’s post, Love in Translation: Backstory and Song, you already know the how and why the author has a passion for all things Japanese and that she freely admits her writing naturally focuses on the country and its culture. However, though Wendy imbues the novel with personal insight, information, and a few shared experiences with her main character, this story is not autobiographical.

Instead it’s a book praised by fellow authors and reviewers as:

“A delightful novel about love, identity, and what it means to be adrift in a strange land. This story of a search has an Alice in Wonderland vibe; when Celeste climbs down the rabbit hole, one can’t help but follow along.– Michelle Richmond, NY Times Best-Selling Author of The Year of Fog

“An amusing story of one woman’s quest for her father and the improbable path of love.”
–Meg Waite Clayton, author of The Wednesday Sisters

“Tokunaga… describe[s] Japanese culture in absorbing detail.”–Publishers Weekly

“A delightful plot with wonderful characterizations.”–Affair de Coeur Magazine

Here’s the synopsis:

Stuck. That’s how 33-year-old aspiring singer Celeste Duncan feels, with her deadbeat boyfriend and static career. But then Celeste receives a puzzling phone call and a box full of mysterious family heirlooms, which just might be the first real clue to the identity of the father she never knew. Impulsively, Celeste flies to Japan to search for a long-lost relative who could be able to explain. She stumbles head first into a weird, wonderful world where nothing is quite as it seems—a land with an inexplicable fascination with foreigners, karaoke boxes, and unbearably perky TV stars. With little knowledge of Japanese, Celeste finds a friend in her English-speaking homestay brother, Takuya, and comes to depend on him for all variety of translation, travel and investigatory needs. As they cross the country following a trail after Celeste’s family, she discovers she’s developing “more-than-sisterly” feelings for him. But with a nosy homestay mom scheming to reunite Takuya with his old girlfriend, and her search growing dimmer, Celeste begins to wonder whether she’s made a terrible mistake in coming to Japan. Can Celeste find her true self in this strange land, and discover that love can transcend culture?

There is also the Excerpt: Chapter One – A Proposal for a sneak peek.

It’s true that based on the praise, synopsis and the mere title of Chapter One a potential reader would assume this to be another “chick lit”/women’s fiction tale of a thirtysomething heroine searching for fulfillment and love. Yet in Love in Translation there is much more to be told.

For Celeste Duncan — orphaned at age ten by her mother’s death — becomes a foster child and must literally create her own identity from memories and photo albums. This is a believable character motivated to search for her roots in of all places, Japan. Yes she is a stranger in a strange land but it’s through Celeste’s eyes and experiences that the novel becomes a vivid travelogue, a fascinating account of traditional Japanese customs and culture, and ultimately the discovery that people are people no matter what their heritage. Oh, for those who desire some romance, there is that very kind, respectful and good-looking homestay brother!

As Publishers Weekly acknowledges, Wendy Tokunaga “describes Japanese culture in absorbing detail.” Why not then allow the author to take you to Tokyo and Japan’s countryside? Love in Translation will serve as your ticket/passport/travel guide and occasional translator with writing that is both rich, natural and sensory.

Yes, sensory, because music also plays a major part of the storyline. When reading the Advanced Reader Copy, I honestly believed that “The Wishing Star (Nozomi no Hoshi)” was a traditional Japanese song and that Wendy had used it as Celeste’s “theme/karaoke/contest performance song” since it was such a perfect fit for Celeste’s situation. Only a few weeks ago did I learn that its perfection came from the music being written by Manabu Tokunaga and the lyrics by the author and their friend Hiro Akashi. Now seriously how impressive AND inspired to write, sing/record a song for a novel and offer it as a free download oniTunes here or at Wendy’s website here? Also on that website link, you’ll find and can listen to an eighteen minute Love in Translation Audio Drama Trailer in which Celeste Duncan explains how she got to Japan.

Rather than listen, though, simply take the leap and accompany her. Love in Translation is a refreshing change — a true getaway — to enjoy…and you will!

Book Giveaway: The Divining Wand will be giving away two copies of Love in Translation. To enter, please leave a comment on this post before the deadline of Saturday, November 28th at 11:59 p.m. EST. Due to the busy holiday week, this contest is being extended and the winners — based on a random drawing — will be announced here in the Monday, November 30th post.