Book Review: Mine to Avenge – Kerry Letheby

Book Title: Mine to Avenge
Author: Kerry Letheby
Publisher: Love of Books
Expected Release: April 2013
Source: Courtesy of Author – Kerry Letheby

4 / 5 stars

Synopsis (from Goodreads)
When Alcandor is blamed for the tragic death of his friend’s sister in Greece in 1940, little does he know of the repercussions this will have for him and his family for the next seventy years.

Unable to forgive himself, and wanting to give his young family a new start, Alcandor leaves Greece and brings his family to settle in the Riverland of South Australia in 1948.

Although Greece and his past are far behind him, Alcandor harbours a terrible secret and he remains a fearful man. Alcandor subdues his fear, and he and his family adapt to an idyllic life of freedom and opportunity.

However, eighteen years after leaving Greece, Alcandor learns that his past has caught up with him. His family needs to know the truth, but circumstances tragically intervene before he can warn them. Years later, Alcandor’s sons show signs of odd behavior hinting at possible mental instability, before disappearing without a trace. And in the next generation, Alcandor’s grandson exhibits the same strange behaviour not long before he is killed in the tragedy of September 11, 2001.

It is not until 2010 that Alcandor’s great- granddaughter, Alethea, discovers that there is far more behind her family’s tragic history than mental illness, and little does she know that the threat against her family is much closer than she realises, and very far from over.

My Thoughts

I am very grateful to Australian author Kerry Letheby for sending me a copy of Mine to Avenge. I enjoyed this book very much on a number of levels and appreciate the research, time, energy and talent that has gone into its crafting.

My first reaction to Mine to Avenge was when I unwrapped the packaging and held it in my hands. I loved the look and feel of this book, from the classy cover to the crisp white pages, it is a book that is just nice to look at and to hold. This positive first impression is always a good sign and already had me feeling favorably towards the book.

Usually I’m reading to a close deadline but I decided to start early and take my time reading this book and boy am I glad I did! Mine to Avenge is not just a light weekend read. It is full of rich characters and a complex three generational saga of love and vengeance. I was very grateful for the family tree chart Ms Letheby provided in the front of the book and I referred to it often as I tried to keep the character relationships straight in my mind.

Not only did I enjoy the generational saga but there were historical and social elements to the book that I found most interesting. I really enjoyed learning of Alcandor and Caterina’s Galanos life in their home country Greece. Historically I was interested in the time period setting during WWII and civil war in Greece and Alcandors involvement in the resistance during this time.

I certainly didn’t learn anything about Greece and its history as part of WWII in my modern history classes at school so I was also very interested to read about the threat of forced evacuation of children during this time. Already it was evident to me that a considerable amount of research had been done by Ms Letheby for the writing of this book and I always appreciate a work of fiction that manages, as Mine to Avenge did, to spark my interest in doing further reading / research around new facts learnt.

My only issue with this first part of the book was that I felt there was a lot of telling rather than showing of the characters and events in the writing style and so it took me a while to connect with the characters and warm to the story but once I did I was hooked.

Following the story to the Riverlands of South Australia the reader is treated by Ms Letheby to an insight into how immigrants integrate into to their new culture slowly over time. This was evident in how Alcandor had no expectation of his eldest daughter going to high school yet years later there was no question or resistance to his youngest daughter attending; how though considered important to learn the new language they tried hard to also retain and reinforce the Greek language and customs yet despite this Alcandor and Caterina’s did not adhere to the Greek custom of arranging marriages for their children. I was intrigued to see this assimilation taking place thoughout the book and down through the generations.

The plot was intriguing and engaging throughout the book with enough twists and turns to keep me turning the pages with anticipation and at times quite some anxiety as to what was going to come next.

While I was able to predict some of the upcoming events there was a significant twist which I had definitely not seen coming and in fact it was so far out of left field that (without giving anything away) I just could not reconcile the actions of one of the main characters with their characterization and personality from earlier in the book. This left me feeling unsettled towards the ending but rather than taking anything away from the book it left me thinking about it quite some days after I had finished reading it.

Mine to Avenge is a masterful telling of a complex and intriguing story which I highly recommend as an engaging read.

Please check out my official blog tour post ( interview with antagonist) HERE

Stop by my friend Marcia’s blog Book Muster Down Under to read her review of Mine to Avenge

Guest Blogger Feature

This post is a little late due to my being away on holidays. Today though I am delighted to welcome Ambrosia to talk about her blog: Fire & Ice. Thanks for joining us today Ambrosia

( A picture of Ambrosia and her Fathers horse when he was a yearling that she purchased for him, Cowboy.)

Please share a little about yourself and Fire & Ice

Well I am 29 years old and can be called an animal nut. I have been riding horses since I was a year old and have always rescued dogs and cats and even horses. Currently I have 8 cats and two dogs and let me tell you they love to curl up in the home library with me any chance they get. Fire and Ice came about for my love of book reading which I have had since I was a young child as well. I wanted to share reading with anyone that I could as I noticed people were reading less and less. So hey why not start a blog? That was my thought anyways. You can find book reviews, book chat and all sorts of other things on Fire & Ice and thanks to the new layout I had done at the start of 2013 some man candy too.

How long have you been book blogging and what inspired you to start?

I started Fire and Ice in October of 2008. I had been doing random little blogs and journaling on Live Journal before that as well as web building. It was after a talk with a younger cousin of mine who said “Oh I only go online anymore no need to read” that made me think maybe if I had a book related blog I could change her mind. So I made the big move to having my very first official blog it was not fancy but I was excited to have it.

Can you tell us a little about your blogging style

My style can come and go with how busy I am and how bloggy (is that a word?) I am feeling at the moment. I do like to lay out the books that I am going to read and I do host tours so that has something to do as well. I usually try to get a review written and up within a few days of finishing a book that way my thoughts are good and fresh. There are some books for tour that I get finished well in advance of my scheduled date so those I write and simply schedule. I try to keep things conversational and even if I do not like a book I always try to find one part of it that I like because at the end of the day a book might just not be my thing but someone else may like it. There have been a couple though that I just could not think of anything to nice.

Do you have other blogs that you would like to tell us about?

I am a little bit of a blog-aholic these days I can admit it, although Fire & Ice has been getting my whole attention. Birth of a Notion was started around the same time as Fire & Ice it also got a make over at the same time. I dicuss my love of crafts, mail, paper and pen and all sorts of things on Birth of a Notion.

There is also Simply Pasha which is a blog formatted fan site for my favorite Ballroom Dancer Pasha Kovalev, I admit to being a bit geeky about this one because he has seen it and his manager is in touch with me often.

My latest project is Readable Kingdom a website focused on book promotion and organizing book tours for authors. It is still a baby compared to my other blogs but I enjoy creating the new site.

What do you most enjoy about blogging?

I enjoy the creative outlet of blogging. Truly even if no one read my blogs I would enjoy doing it just because I like writing. I know many who read also like to write and they do so in various ways. I think perhaps the best thing that has come out of my blogging so far for me is that the cousin I had hoped to inspire to read more, reads my blog and reads more these days.

What would be your top 3 tips for other bloggers?

Three tips well lets see. Make sure you enjoy what you are blogging about, if it feels to much like work your doing something wrong. Do it for you. If you blog for some other purpose that is fine of course but I hope that at the core you will do it for you, it leads back to number one of course to have fun. Network be social, if you do want a bigger readership you have to cultivate it. Read other blogs, connect, comment and help spread the words for others.

I am Ambrosia Jefferson on Facebook and @LadyAmbrosia on Twitter.

A kind thank you Ambrosia for participating. Please drop by Ambrosia’s blogs or connect with her via the social media details above.

Happy Reading / Blogging!

Blog Tour: Mine to Avenge – Kerry Letheby

I am very grateful to Australian author Kerry Letheby for sending me a copy of Mine to Avenge and inviting me to participate as a host in her official blog tour. I enjoyed this book on a number of levels and appreciate the research, time, energy and talent that has gone into its crafting.

If you missed the previous stop on the tour you can visit it at Clippings in the Shed or check out tomorrows host at The Never Ending Bookshelf.

Today I am happy to host Ms Letheby’s contribution of an interview with Constantine Anastos, the antagonist of Mine to Avenge.

This interview, with Constantine Anastos, was recorded late in 1949. The interviewer has learned that Mr Anastos and his family have been on the move for some time to avoid the forced evacuation of their children, but Constantine’s wife has recently died, leaving him to care for their three young boys alone. He is currently trying to work out where their future lies.

Interviewer: Thank you, Mr Anastos, for agreeing to talk to me. I am aware that you have a lot on your mind at the moment and will try not to take up too much of your time. May I first of all, give you my deepest condolences on the death of your wife? I will ask you more about that later if you will permit me, but firstly, can you tell me about yourself – where you were born and something of your childhood.

Constantine: I was born in 1914 in a Greek village. My earliest memories are of playing with my sister, Helena, and the other village children in the fields.

(The interviewer notes that Constantine didn’t acknowledge the mention of his wife’s death.)

Interviewer: Did you have toys to play with at all?

Constantine: No – most of the children in the village went without toys. We had vivid imaginations to shape our play. Some of us learned how to carve with a small knife and we carved rough toys out of wood we found.

Interviewer: Can you describe yourself for the readers?

Constantine: I would say that my appearance is classically Greek. I am dark skinned – quite short, and have dark hair and deep black eyes. I think I might look well with a moustache.

Interviewer: Who was your best friend when you were growing up?

(The interviewer notices that Mr Anastos suddenly appears tense. At the moment his dark eyes appear black with something the interviewer interprets as malice. The interviewer feels a little uncomfortable and realizes that the question may have hit a nerve. There is a long silence and the question is repeated… cautiously.)

Interviewer: Who was your best friend when you were growing up?

Constantine: It was … Alcandor … Alcandor Galanos.

Interviewer: Do you wish to tell us anything about this friendship, Mr Anastos?

(The interviewer detects an increasing tension.)

Constantine: No … there’s nothing to tell. We’ve … lost touch.

Interviewer: Have you ever lost someone close to you, Mr Anastos? How did you feel about it?

(This question seems to affect Mr Anastos more powerfully than the previous one, and the interviewer is startled, as Mr Anastos’s face reddens and he leaps to his feet.)

Constantine: This is none of your business. What kind of interview is this anyway? What right have you to ask me these things?

Interviewer: What is the matter with you, Mr Anastos? You agreed to this interview about your life, and it means that I need to ask questions. What are you trying to hide?

(Constantine hesitates, takes some time to compose himself and sits down again. He is breathing rapidly. He takes his time before answering…very quietly.)

Constantine: I lost my sister…Helena.

Interviewer: I understand that this is a painful subject for you, Mr Anastos. How did she die?

(Constantine leans forward, and places his head in his hands, and his words come as a whisper.)

Constantine: She was home sick … alone. I should have been with her …but…

Interviewer prompting gently): …but?

(Constantine looks directly at the interviewer now, and his voice begins to escalate again.)

Constantine: I left her alone that day and went hunting … he made me go hunting!

Interviewer: Who? Who made you go hunting?

Constantine: My friend …Alcandor Galanos … my so-called friend. He insisted I go, but I should have stayed at home.

(The interviewer is pleased to have triggered such an angry response from Constantine, but is worried that Constantine will leave the interview before it is over. The interviewer changes direction.)

Interviewer: Tell me something of your experience of the war.

Constantine: I have only vague memories of it. I lived it … I was there. I met my wife while fighting … we had our family in that time … three sons.

(Constantine stops speaking for a moment and looks over his shoulder to where his children are playing in the garden at his sister-in-law’s house. The interviewer detects a sense of purpose in his gaze. Constantine turns back again, and continues speaking, but it is as if he is talking to himself and is unaware of the interviewer.)

I think I was living two wars at the same time. I have no memory of the one I fought for my country, but am still caught up deeply in the other one. It seems to have no end in sight. I think it is only just beginning, really…

Interviewer: I saw the glance you gave your sons, Mr Anastos. What do they mean to you? What plans do you have for them?

Constantine: They mean everything to me. They are the means of my redemption … they will release me from …

(Suddenly Constantine is aware of where he is, and the presence of the interviewer, and looks directly at the interviewer before continuing.)

And as to plans … well, I’m not sure, but many are leaving the country now. It isn’t a safe place to raise children. Many are being taken from their parents and evacuated for their own safety. I will not allow my children to be taken from me. We might join the exodus from Greece. I just don’t know for sure yet.

(The interviewer takes a gamble with the next question, having sensed hidden meaning in Mr Anstos’s words.)

Interviewer: What is the worst thing you could do to someone you hated?

Constantine: I think I would want him to suffer … to be in pain and yet have to live it …to know what I now live every day of my life …

Interviewer: It may surprise you, Mr Anastos, to hear that your life story is to be written about in a story. Why will the reader sympathize with you?

Constantine (Standing to his feet): Because I was wronged… because I’m not the guilty one … someone else is responsible … not me.

(Mr Anastos stands up and walks away to rejoin his three sons.)

Connect with Kerry

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A different sort of book week

This is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it!
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

This week I am musing about: a different kind of book week where we prepare to start homeschooling

In 2010 / 11 we homeschooled for a year and then Kirra returned to school for the last 2 years. For a whole number of reasons (most of all because Kirra wants to) we are starting up homeschooling again.

Actually I prefer the term home educating as even though we register as homeschoolers and we base our learning around the K – 6 curriculum for our state we are not just simply school at home. Yes we educate but our learning style and program is much more flexible and in harmony with our lifestyle. We do not keep school hours as firstly that doesn’t work for us and secondly we don’t need to do as long a day as we don’t have to do all the other non educational stuff that is done at school nor do we have any of the distractions that come with teaching a class of 20-30 kids.

So this last week we have been doing different kind of book related stuff. We have gathered all our resources needed for the next term / year, just some of which you can see below. We’ve had to decide on our two main reading books for the term: for read-a-long and study unit we chose Anne of Green Gables and for Kirra’s independent reading she is using The 26 Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths which she’s been reading already and is about half way through.

Of course there’s a lot of preparation on my part that goes into not only having everything planned out for the registration process but planned and printed out for at least our next terms work. There has also been workbooks ordered and online curriculum based learning program to be registered for subjects where we aren’t using workbooks. Then there’s putting mine and Kirra’s planners together which we do ourselves rather than purchasing planners. (There’s tons of free printables etc on the Internet).

So I hear you saying: “What about socialisation?” – that’s the question everyone asks. Socialisation is important for kids to learn how to interact and relate to others so I dont in any way undervalue it. Firstly we have a pretty good social life and we also do a lot of socialising with others that attend our church – at least twice a week and other special get togethers like kids parties etc. Kirra has friends that range in age from toddlers to their late 80′s and of course her own age. As well as regular socialising with family and friends we of course do all the usual out and about things like playing at the park where she meets other children. Then of course we socialize with other homeschoolers through support groups and things like yearly homeschool athletics carnivals. In fact socialisation was the last of our considerations – personally I send Kirra to school to learn primarily not socialise and in any case it’s not normal life to socialise with only kids all the same age as you – that simply doesn’t happen in real life. So I guess that’s my rant part of this post.

Soon we can relax and start our learning program. We are very excited!

So have you ever homeschooled or even thought of doing it?

Blog Tour: From the Kitchen of Half Truth – Maria Goodin

I am honored today to participate in the official blog tour for From the Kitchen of Half Truth by Maria Goodin. Many thanks to Sourcebooks, in particular Nicole, for the invitation to host and providing me with an ecopy of the book via NetGalley. Thanks also to Maria Goodin for answering some questions about her book and writing.

Book Title: From the Kitchen of Half Truth
Author: Maria Goodin
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Source: Courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley

4 / 5 stars

Synopsis

FROM THE KITCHEN OF HALF TRUTH is the warm, tender story of Meg, who can’t convince her cooking-obsessed, fairy-tale loving mother to reveal a thing about their past, even as sickness threatens to hide those secrets forever. Driven to spend one last summer with her mother, Meg must face a choice between what’s real and what we make real, exploring the power of the stories we tell ourselves in order to create the lives we want.

My Thoughts

I was not two pages into this book and I found myself laughing out loud. At the same time I was wondering if this was simply going to be an absurdly humorous book? I thought the synopsis had described it as ” warm” and ” tender”. I read the blurb again. I have to admit I was a little confused. However I soon realised that whilst Ms Goodin has wrapped this story in quirky humour – non-sensical, fantastical stories – beyond this, and in fact in part because of this, there is indeed a sad depth to this story.

We meet Meg, 21 years old; a scientist to whom everything has a practical, logical basis. To Meg there is only one way to see the world and that is not through the fantasies that her mother lives in but rather through reason and rational thinking. But it was not always this way.

Megs childhood was filled with wonderful stories of her birth, her father, her family, until when at age 8, she is humiliated in front of her schoolmates after recounting one of these stories. From that time on she vows to remove imagination in every form from her life.

I couldn’t help but feel what a wonderfully colourful and almost magical childhood Meg had with all these amazing stories she was raised with and that with the typical innocence of a child, she believed. Of course then when she was humiliated by them I was devastated and immediately felt her pain – the pain of a child whose whole world has been turned on its head.

I also felt sad for the adult Meg. Her life seemed so sterile and practical, lacking passion or wonder of any kind. Yet at the same time I understood her yearning to know the truth about her beginnings and early childhood and her frustration at her mothers seeming break from reality and reluctance to answer her questions simply and truthfully.

Unlike Meg, her mother lives in a world of wonder and fantasy. To Meg she is an simply an escapist. When her mother employs a gardener named Ewan, Meg is appalled that he encourages her mothers fantasies.

I loved the character of Megs mother Valerie – her obsession with cooking, her amazing imagination and fantastical stories. I envied her being able to exist in a wonderful world of make believe but at the same time I felt sad that her real life had been such that she needed to escape it so completely. I loved that Ewan had a ‘warm’ view of the world; that he could allow Valerie to simply be herself without judgement.

We see a contrast here of the two men in Megs life: her boyfriend Mark, a doctoral student and lecturer who believes ‘the Arts are a waste of time’and that in his view ‘only science can make a difference in the world’. He sees Megs mother as crazy mad, simply not ‘normal’. Ewan in comparison believes that ‘there’s so many different ways to see the world whose to say who is right and wrong?’

When Meg finds a note written on a band flyer in one of her mothers old suitcases she is led on a journey to discovering the truth about her early life and to better understanding her mother.

By the end of this book I was both sad that Meg had to learn of the not so perfect circumstances of her conception, birth and early life yet I was pleased that she was able to see that her mother as loving and supportive; well loved and appreciated by the many whom she had shown compassion to despite her reclusive lifestyle.

Even by the end of this book I was torn between being saddened that the realities of life are often such that we wish to reinvent them and imagining how delightful it would be if we could all see the world through the eyes of wonder and imagination.

From the Kitchen of Half Truth is indeed a warm and tender story of the relationship between a mother and her daughter. I thoroughly enjoyed Ms Goodin’s debut novel and look forward to reading more from her in the future. A highly recommended read.

About the Author

Maria Goodin is the author of From the Kitchen of Half Truth. She trained to be a teacher and therapist before working as a counselor. Based on her award-winning short story, From the Kitchen of Half Truth was inspired by her interest in psychological defenses. Maria lives in Hertfordshire, England with her husband, son and cat. This is her first novel.

Q & A with the Author

Would you share a little about the inspiration behind From the Kitchen of Half Truth?

I was out and about one day when I heard one lady say to another ‘and the baby was caught in a frying pan’, or at least that’s what I thought she said. I was on a busy, noisy street at the time and I’m sure I must have misheard. But the image was such a funny one it really stuck in my mind. I wrote a short story, ‘Nutmeg’, based around the idea of this baby who was born into a world of culinary fairy tales. I entered the story into a writing competition and it won first place. That’s what inspired me to turn my story into a novel.

How short or long was the process between idea and publishing and what if any challenges did you experience?

In 2007 I wrote a short story called Nutmeg which won a writing competition. I went away from the prize giving ceremony and straight away started trying to turn that story into a novel. My first challenge was finding the time, as I was working fulltime and also studying to be a counsellor, but I set myself the target of getting the book completed in a year and I just made my deadline. During that time there were the typical struggles that I’m sure all writers must suffer from; a bit of writers’ block here and there, a lack of motivation after a tiring week. It didn’t take me long to get an agent, but I then spent another two or three months making amendments to the book before we submitted it to publishers. The biggest challenge to the novel being published turned out to be its ‘quirkiness’. Some of the larger publishing houses were enthusiastic about the novel but unsure how to market it, so there was a period of anticipation while I waited to see if my novel would ever see the light of day. The book was published in the UK in 2012, so you can see the whole process was quite a long one.

My reaction to the book was a mixture of laughter and deep sadness. What reader reaction were you hoping to elicit?

It really was that juxtaposition of sadness and laughter that I was aiming for. That clash of emotions is really at the heart of the book. Meg has to learn that life isn’t about one clean, distinct set of feelings; it’s about a big mess of feelings that pull in different directions. If the reader feels their emotions swinging one way and then the other then they are experiencing something of Meg’s struggle.

What is your next literary venture and how is it progressing?

I plan to start writing my next novel later this year. At the moment I am in the ‘thinking’ stage, which really involves a lot of daydreaming about different things and feeling torn between various ideas. ‘Working’ on my new novel currently involves spending half an hour here and there gazing into the middle distance envisaging scenarios and working out plots.

With thanks to Author Maria Goodin, Sourcebooks and NetGalley

Check out the previous or the next stop on the tour.

Chatting with Kim Lock

Yesterday I posted my review of the brilliant debut novel by Kim Lock: Peace, Love and Khaki Socks. Today I am stoked to have a few moments with Kim to talk about her book and her writing. Thanks so much Kim for joining us on the blog today. I am so grateful that you invited me to read / review Peace, Love and Khaki Socks which I adored. So I was wondering ….

What was your main inspiration for this book? One of the reasons I loved Peace, Love and Khaki socks is because it was so relatable so I am dying to know is it based on your own experience?

I think the best writing comes from a writer’s heart, so for my first novel I found myself writing about something very close to me. I wanted to write what I knew. Whilst I’ve been blessed to have had some of Amy’s experiences, she is definitely a fictional character with a fictitious journey, but she embodies something that it’s likely many women can relate to. My first pregnancy was unexpected, and I’ve also had a baby born at home, but they were two separate babies. I’ve also lived in Darwin, however both of my babies were born in Canberra. Some of the army anecdotes are based on real-life and sensationalised for the story, and others are entirely made up … But I’m not going to tell you which ones!

How long was the process from idea to publishing and what if any challenges did you encounter?

Although I think this book has been within me for about 30 years, in reality it has been about three years from when I first began writing, to now, the book being only weeks away from stores. The first draft, raw and brilliantly terrible, took me about 12 months to write. I spent several months editing it myself, before I was game enough to send it out to a couple of publishers. The first few rejections were the hardest. Not knowing whether to shelve the manuscript and write something else, keep tweaking it, or give up writing altogether… I spent about eight months submitting to publishers before MidnightSun asked for the full manuscript. (Insert delirious excitement!) Then another eight months or so to now. All up, it’s been a bit of a whirlwind!

Can you share with us an interesting research moment?

Over the years I have spent a lot of time reading women’s stories so generously and honestly shared on blogs and web forums. Early on writing the first draft, I nervously contacted the Darwin Homebirth Group to ask them a few questions. It felt very odd saying I was ‘researching for a book’—not having even finished writing a first draft, let alone found a publisher (and not knowing if I ever would) it felt like quite a leap to say I was a writer.

What is your writing style? Are you a plotter or a go with the flow kind of writer?

It depends on what I’m writing, but I’m definitely not an organised ‘plotter’. Peace, Love and Khaki Socks was a very organic process, at times surprisingly so. There were many moments when I was writing and I didn’t even know what was going to happen until I’d written it. The story came to me from moment to moment. When I first began the manuscript, I didn’t even know the main character was going to be pregnant! But I’m finding my next novel (which I’ll tell you about in a moment), is quite complete in my head, but I’ve only written about half down.

I’m intrigued by the writing spaces of authors. Could you describe your space?

Picture a beautiful, peaceful, open room with polished timber floors, overflowing floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, an antique desk tucked into a bay window overlooking a sweeping national park … Oh hang on, that’s the one in my head. In reality, my writing space is wherever I can put the laptop out of the way of sticky little fingers. Usually it’s the kitchen table, the couch or the bed. Think tea cups, stacks of paperbacks, piles of paper and mountains of unfolded laundry. And me, typing madly away in the middle of it.

It amazes me how busy people also find the time to write. How do you manage writing time with family, study / work commitments?

I had a three-year-old and an infant when I began writing this book, now they’re almost six and almost three, so writing is very much done whenever I can. Minutes snatched here and there throughout the day as one naps and the other one watches The Octonauts on repeat. I have to be infinitely flexible and I have to be okay with being interrupted. I often scribble ideas down on pieces of paper all over the house, notebooks in my handbag or even in the car. I write whenever I can, which means first drafts are atrocious, but it’s better than nothing.

I read recently that one of the best ways to learn to write / improve your writing is to read. How much do you read and what are your reading preferences?

I think reading and writing are inextricably tied. I think it’s the love of reading that inspires us to write, so reading is an essential part of writing. I read perhaps one or two books a week—I wish I had time to read more, as there’s some fantastic work coming out at the moment, particularly from Australian women authors. I have a wide genre that I like to read, anything from crime and thriller, to chick-lit, to classic literary fiction and everything in between. My favourite books inevitably have strong female protagonists, but as long as it’s well-written, I usually like it.

Are you a fan of the physical book or the e-reader?

Most definitely a physical book kind of person. It’s the scent of ink-and-paper. If I could, I’d get it in a bottle and spray it on my skin every morning.

I’m itching to know: what is your next literary venture and how is it progressing?

I started writing my second novel in between navigating the slush pile with Peace, Love and Khaki Socks. It has a complex, multi-layered storyline about two best friends and a shocking fact kept secret from them. This next novel is playing itself out in my head much faster, but working with MidnightSun on ‘Khaki Socks’ means I have less (read: no) time to write. I’ve written about half of it and I’m looking forward to Khaki Socks being out in stores so I can hopefully sit back and think, ‘well, it’s out now’, and the next book will settle into my lap for attention again.

Thanks so much for talking with us Kim and congratulations on what is truly a gem of a debut novel.

Author Bio

After growing up in Mount Gambier in country South Australia, Kim Lock moved to Darwin, where she went on to spend several years working as a senior designer for the Northern Territory’s top advertising agency. As always, she wrote – but she kept it to herself.

Kim then moved to Melbourne, and later moved to Canberra. There, she discovered she was pregnant, and her life changed again.

After having two children, Kim found the urge to write in earnest. She has returned to home soil in South Australia, where she lives in the beautiful Barossa Valley with her now-RAAF husband and two young children.

Some experience as a breastfeeding counsellor saw her develop a strong interest in maternal psychology, and Kim is now working towards her degree.

Between her roles as a mother, her study, freelance design work and her writing, Kim marvels at the full moon, eats butter chicken, and dreams of further exploring the world.

Although she has been writing her entire life, Peace, Love and Khaki Socks is her first novel.

Contact Kim

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Book Review: Peace, Love and Khaki Socks – Kim Lock

Book Title: Peace, Love and Khaki Socks
Author: Kim Lock
Publisher: MidnightSun Publishing Pty Ltd
Expected Release: May 2013
Source: Courtesy of Kim Lock (Author) via MidnightSun Publishing

Read an Extract

Promotional Trailer

5 / 5 stars

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

One sultry October morning in Darwin, hemp-wearing army wife Amy Silva grips a trembling fist around two pink lines on a plastic stick. Struggling to come to terms with her rampant fertility, disillusioned with a haughty obstetrician, and infuriated by an inordinate amount of peeing, Amy finds solace in a decision to homebirth. After all, it worked for the cavewomen, right? But as a tropical cyclone threatens to whip down the main street, Amy finds herself facing more than biology.

Peace, Love and Khaki Socks explores what it is to be a woman, an expectant mother, a lover and a friend in a patriarchy. Sometimes horrifying, sometimes hilarious and always honest, this unforgettable story is one woman’s struggle to turn the ordinary into something extraordinary.

My Thoughts

Amy Silva is a peace loving army wife who doesn’t run with the army wife mob – “The Pacifist Hippy, in love with the Gun-Toting Soldier.” She has just signed a 12 month work contract when she is stunned to discover she is unexpectedly pregnant. What follows is in part Amy’s struggle to come to terms with her pregnancy; her husband Dylan’s concern over Amy’s and the babys wellbeing and her best friend Hannah’s coming to grips with her own past loss.

We follow Amy throughout her pregnancy and being a mother three times over myself I couldn’t help but sympathise with her disillusionment with the impersonal medical system. From relating to the – I won’t need to drink THAT much water – to laughing at the ridiculous – just let out a little bit -moments of the ultrasound scene to feeling somewhere between disheartened and outraged at the matter-of-fact testing procedures / poking and prodding by the aloof obstetrician Dr Lavina; we are taken along on Amy’s emotional rollercoaster ride.The irony of being in hospital myself (NOT pregnancy related) when I read this book was not lost on me.

Personally I felt nothing but relief when Amy decided on a home birth. I loved that Amy didn’t just accept the fear based reasons for a hospital birth even though it created friction between herself and Dylan. I couldn’t help but envy the personal nature of the home midwife visits and the absolutely beautiful experience of birthing at home supported by loved ones. More than a few tears were shed when reading the labour and birthing scenes.

This is one of the things I love about this book – that I could relate to it so personally. It made me think about and reflect on my own pregnancy and birth experiences.

At one point I did want to shake Amy when at full term she insisted on driving home to check on Dylan in the midst of cyclonic weather. OK all turned out fine but it could so easily have been a disastrous rather than a beautiful outcome.

The characters in Peace, Love and Khaki Socks are well developed and natural. I connected with them quickly and easily. By the end of the book I felt like I knew them personally. While it was Amy I could most relate to I could also sympathise with Dylan’s hesitancy about going outside the traditional medical system even though it was a strongly fear based stance. I felt for Hannah who struggled with being simultaneously happy for her best friend and mourning her own loss even though some time in the past.

One word. LOVE. I love this book. It is warm, genuine and emotive. It is real. It is entirely believable. I kept asking myself is this pure fiction or is it a fictionalised memoir? (That is something I will definitely be asking Ms Lock). This is so much more than just a book about pregnancy – it’s also a story about a woman’s search for validation and empowerment.

There are so many bits of this story I love that by the time I had finished reading it there were post-it notes everywhere throughout. It was both touching and funny. Just a few lines that had me chuckling:

“Maybe they won’t see me. Maybe I’ll vanish. Maybe I could hide in the crack in Mrs Drysdale’s arse.”

“I spent more time sucking up other people’s sweaty armpit gas in the waiting room, than talking to the doctor.”

“‘You have to keep it neat’ , Mary instructed. ‘ Otherwise it spreads down your legs and onto your feet. You have to rip it out of the side of your knickers with hot wax.”

Peace, Love and Khaki Socks is simply adorable. It definitely makes my best books of 2013 list. An excellent debut novel from a promising Australian author. I will be keeping a keen eye out for Ms Locks next literary venture.

With thanks to the Author Kim Lock and MidnightSun Publishing

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What I’m Reading …

This is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.

Now there is a new topic added: Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!

This week I’m musing about the book I’m reading:

I’m nearly halfway through Beautiful Disaster and I can’t say I’m that into it. I hadn’t read any reviews of this and bought it on an impulse yesterday because Big W had it for $8. I’m pretty glad already I didn’t pay more than that for it. Not really sure if its classified YA or NA maybe? But I don’t generally enjoy stories where the characters are teenagers (Hunger Games & Divergent an exception). Also the main relationship in this book is SO unhealthy … I keep wanting to scream THIS IS NOT OKAY!!! – HE IS UNSTABLE!!! – STALKER!!! – CONTROL FREAK!!! This is NOT a good example of a friendship / relationship for teens (or anyone for that matter) – hopefully by the end of the book this will be the actual message. I will have to wait and see.

What are you reading?

Book Review: The Railwayman’s Wife – Ashley Hay

Authors Website

Book Title: The Railwayman’s Wife
Author: Ashley Hay
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Expected Release: April 2013
Source: Courtesy of the publisher via The Reading Room.

3.5 / 5 stars

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

In a small town on the land’s edge, in the strange space at a war’s end, a widow, a poet and a doctor each try to find their own peace, and their own new story.

In Thirroul, in 1948, people chase their dreams through the books in the railway’s library. Anikka Lachlan searches for solace after her life is destroyed by a single random act. Roy McKinnon, who found poetry in the mess of war, has lost his words and his hope. Frank Draper is trapped by the guilt of those his treatment and care failed on their first day of freedom. All three struggle with the same question: how now to be alive.

Written in clear, shining prose and with an eloquent understanding of the human heart, The Railwayman’s Wife explores the power of beginnings and endings, and how hard it can be sometimes to tell them apart. It’s a story of life, loss and what comes after; of connection and separation, longing and acceptance. Most of all, it celebrates love in all its forms, and the beauty of discovering that loving someone can be as extraordinary as being loved yourself.

A story that will break your heart with hope.

My Thoughts

First things first. The Railwayman’s Wife is beautifully written. From the outset that is the one recurring thought that I had about this book. The descriptions were just lyrical – be it of the landscape, the clouds, the air – and on it goes throughout the entire book. I could just tell from the beginning that I would like this book.

There is both beauty and tragedy in this story: The beauty of Ani’s loving relationship with her husband Mac and daughter Isabel. The enduring love of Iris McKinnon for doctor and war veteran Frank Draper. The love of words and poetry embodied in the character of fellow war veteran, Roy McKinnon. AND THEN …. there is the tragedy: in a split second the loss of Ani’s loving and beloved husband; the torment of memories of the war and a loss for words so devastating to insomniac poet Roy; Dr Drapers regret/ guilt at not being able to save even those who have managed to have first survived the terror of a war camp.

Yet beyond all of this tragedy there is just simmering below the surface of this story – Hope. Hope that Ani who has lost so much will find another love; hope that Roy who found poetic words on the battleground will learn to find sleep, contentment and the words that elude him once again and that Frank will remember his love for Iris before the separation of the war.

This story is evenly paced throughout, there are few extreme highs and lows, it is what I would call a good even read that evokes emotion but at a steady pace throughout the entire book. Some may say it borders on being dull or boring for this reason but I found that the writing kept this readers emotions engaged the whole time. (I was heartbroken when Ani finds ‘Macs poem’ – I cried for the depth of her longing to hold onto some last thread of her marriage and for its true author who finally found the words that were so lacking only to go unrecognised).

The Railwayman’s Wife is a big story about a very few people in a small town over a relatively short period of time (1 year) however it is not lacking. I recommend it to you as a good read – definitely worth the time invested.

With thanks to Allen & Unwin and The Reading Room

Dana Mitchell – Q & A

Yesterday I posted my review of A Venetian Affair by Australian author Dana Mitchell. Today I am honoured to welcome Dana who has kindly agreed to answer a few questions about her debut romance novel. Thanks so much for joining me today Dana.

I’m fairly new to Romance reads and I was wondering what motivated you to write this particular genre? Has romance always been your thing?

Jennie, thanks so much for hosting me on your blog today. I’ve been a reader since I could remember and read just about everything, but romance is a favourite genre of mine. I like the thrust and parry of a good conflict between two protagonists, how against the odds, they can come together to overcome seemingly insurmountable hurdles.

How short or long was the process between idea and publishing and what if any challenges did you experience?

I had a long experience between concept and publishing. Like most aspiring writers, being published is your ultimate dream, however I was happy to learn as much about writing as I could, having never had any formal training. The challenges for me were, and still are, time. I have small children and I work full-time, so time is precious. So for me, the learning process was slow. Also, that voice in your head. There were a lot of rejections and its easy to sometimes lose sight of your dream, but I really wanted this, so for me, it was a matter of just keep going!

Are you a plotter or do you just go with the flow when writing?

I’m usually a go-with-the-flow kinda gal. Its all in my head. Sometimes I do up a plot but I find it never goes according to plan, my characters get in the way.

I didn’t find Gabriel’s character very endearing, how did you feel about writing him?

Gabriel was a complex character to write. He’s part pure arrogance, part idealist, part sensual lover. Raised to further his family’s ancient bank, that is his sole focus. And he does not tolerate any threat toward it, as you know. In his world, he is kind to women; his sisters and family adore him, however he shows little of this to Helen, torn between a perplexingly strong attraction to a woman who is a threat to his bank, AND his control. He cannot fathom that a woman with a brother, a father and mother would not be loved and does not understand Helen’s dilemma. Despite this, in the end, his gut feeling, and his growing emotion for Helen means that his judgement of her is completely wrong, and he’s shocked to learn of Helen’s loveless upbringing. For him, having his whole family attend to Helen was a big deal; because he trusted her, so did they. Helen needed someone like Gabriel to bust through the barriers she presented to the world and to herself because she’d learned to live with them for so long, they were second nature.

At the end of the book I was left wondering if there was potentially more to the story. Is there the possibility of a next book?

Ah, Jennie, you are shrewd. Yes, there is more to this story. Helen’s sister Reyna, has her own story, so there is more in there for sure. And eventually, Lorcan, Helen’s friend, also gets his own story too! Stay tuned….

What is your next literary venture and how is it progressing?

I’m working on my next book, which is Reyna’s story. Fingers crossed that you’ll be reading it soon.

Thanks so much Dana for participating and congratulations on your debut novel.

Author Bio

Born in warm tropical QLD before moving to NSW, Dana grew up in the Australian Alps as well as in a few tiny outback towns with huge pubs. A reading escape artist, she won the library prize in high school and has a ton of useless information about almost anything in her head. Desperate for something to read on her Grandmother’s farm one day, she found a romance novel and was hooked from the first page.
Dana lives with her very own hero and two gorgeous little boys on QLD’s beautiful Sunshine Coast, working full time during the day and writing well into the night. Her motto: Who needs sleep anyway? In her opinion, love makes the world go round and spreading the love with a romance novel only helps the world go round in a much nicer fashion.