In my opinion, it is always hard to read and review a book in a series when you have not yet had the opportunity to read the others. It is always hard to “catch up” so to speak. In the case of Beyond the Flame, I am happy to say that was not the case. When I finished reading this book, I had completely fallen in love with the series and I went right to the computer and bought the first two books.
In Beyond the Flame, Parris Sheets has added yet another chapter to this incredible fantasy series that should not be missed. In the first two books, we saw Kole’s quest to reunite the six gods begin as he and his mentor tried to stop evil from destroying what was left of their world. In the third installment Kole and his friends are still working toward completing their goal. They are led to a faraway city where magic stills rules but the people in the city are also working with great new technology, all in the hope of stopping the spread of the Black Wall. This wall is impossible to control and out to destroy the city and everything else in its path. Of course nothing is ever simple because the god that Kole seeks this time is not to be found in front of the wall but beyond it and no one ever gets past the Black Wall.
During this journey, however, Kole does not rely only on help from his friends and mentor but also tries to obtain some of his help from the one that all others believe is the true enemy. This alliance is, in a word, insane but it makes for a very compelling plot twist. Even though Kole is able to gain a small part of what he wanted, it looks like he will lose so much more. The reader gets to watch as Kole tries to use the technology developed in the city of Zeal to help further his cause. While he does have the help of his friends and a new god, Caradin, it does not help when the technology in the city begins to mysteriously breakdown and Kole and the group not only have to deal with the black wall but also with a group of people in the city who are out to stop him from succeeding no matter what the cost.
Ms. Sheets knows two things without any doubt at all. She knows how to draw in her reader so they are completely spellbound with the story and do not want to put it down and she knows how to enthrall the reader with her various characters so one truly feels that they are living though this adventure with their favorite heroes. The personalities of all the characters are so well-written and come through very clearly. Felix is a great character trying to help while he also attempts to understand how to control his new power. Vienna is the voice of reason, or at least she tries to be. When we add in other old favorites along with many new ones, the tale becomes even more exciting and enjoyable. In addition, this author knows exactly how to create an edge-of-your-seat, gripping climax that will leave any reader clamoring for the next book to see where the journey will lead now. Unfortunately, that will not be until the spring of 2023. I, for one, cannot wait.
Quill says: This book is absolutely mesmerizing and just goes to show that, even when the author has already written two books in a series, the next book can truly be even better. All I can say is I can’t wait to see book 4 and, if we are all very lucky, a motion picture that may be the beginning of the best movie series ever!
For more information on Beyond the Flame (Essence of Ohr, Book 3), please visit the author's website at: https://www.parrissheetsauthor.com/
The Lighthouse is an amazing first book in what is to be a new series from author Karin Ciholas. It is the story of Simon, a very talented physician who tries to take care of everyone while always facing constant danger because he is a Jew living in the first century under the Romans.
As the story opens we meet a young man whose desire is to become the best doctor he can be. This is Simon’s dream but, unfortunately, it does not match the dream that his father has for him. We are also introduced to Simon’s closest friend Valerius and his family. Valerius’ father is headed back to Rome and taking his family with him to what he believes will be wonderful opportunities. Valerius, who is in love with Simon’s sister, does not want to go but knows that he has no choice but to obey his father. We also have Valerius’ sister, Aurelia, who finds herself in love with Simon and not wanting to leave him. With the introduction of Meidias, an escaped criminal who is trying to start a war with the Jews, the reader has their villain and Simon’s journey begins. Meidias kidnaps Simon’s sister and this leads him from Egypt to Italy to Alexandria as he searches for her and contemplates his revenge against her kidnapper.
During this journey, Simon becomes the doctor he wanted to be and develops a reputation for himself in medicine that brings him into contact with those who are poor and suffering, as well as those who are at the highest and most important levels of Roman rule. He must constantly fight with himself over his love for Aurelia and his vow to find his sister and kill Meidias. But how can someone who cares so much for the saving of lives take an oath to end one? Simon is a very strong man who is constantly in conflict with himself and his beliefs as well as the horrible situation that his people are struggling to live through.
The story allows the reader to follow Simon on his journey and we are overwhelmed and awed by what he faces and accomplishes. While this novel is, in part, fiction it is also historically based. We see Simon as he is destroyed by the plight of his people under the Romans, we see him in Jerusalem where a solider of Rome forces him to carry a crossbeam for a prisoner’s execution, and we see him as he works with medical breakthroughs that save many lives. It is a story of truth, family, love, loyalty, and of medical science and it is a story that is well-worth reading.
Quill says: This novel is packed with so much true history intermixed with a wonderful storyline that will thrill any reader. I love a wonderfully written page-turner that the reader does not want to put down, and this book definitely qualifies as such. I’m sure that part two will be just as interesting and well-written and I am anxiously awaiting it.
Quintessential word smith, J.R. Klein, spins yet another delightful adventure in his latest book, Times Like These.
Owen Brooks and Jack Carter used to be good friends. However, "...That was before the unfortunate incident between us, which I will get to in a minute..." Owen was the bold and solid guy with enviable good looks and yes, Jack was envious. Albeit handsome, Owen’s strong suit definitely wasn’t confidence when it came to women. Jack, on the other hand, had lots of baggage he brought to their friendship. He was "...abandoned as an infant by my father, whom everyone called Big Hank, and was orphaned at nine when my mother died. I grew up in a school for boys in St. Louis until I was sixteen..." Jack was a go-getter and motivated. At the tender age of nineteen, he traveled the world and by twenty-four, he put himself through college and with a journalism degree in tow, landed his first job as a junior scribe at the Chicago Tribune. It wasn’t until he landed a gig in San Diego at The Sun when Jack met Owen and Chloe and Anna arrived on the scene. Life was good. Jack had Chloe and Owen was devoted to Anna. Sadly, a moment of weakness between Jack and Anna not only created a sticky situation, but it managed to detonate the relationship between Owen and Anna and ultimately cost Owen his Job at The Sun.
Fast-forward seven years later and the only thing Jack knew of Owen from then to now was Owen had been hired by Time magazine. He was traipsing around the Middle East and admittedly, Jack was keeping tabs on him as he often grabbed a copy of Time during those lost years. "...Whenever I saw one of Owen’s photos, I found myself wondering why it was that some people whose path crosses ours stay with us in an absurd and persistent way. You cannot erase the memories of those people from your life. They are there to stay, indelibly seared deep into some neuronal recess forever. What is it about them that is so unique that they leave a residue of their own reality that becomes a part of us, part of our own marrow and gristle?” And just like that, seven years gone by and Jack’s doorbell rings. Imagine that! Owen was on the other side of the door.
J.R. Klein wastes no time at all setting the plot and revving the engine to yet another fabulous read. There is such a natural kinship between Mr. Klein’s mind and the natural gift he has when it comes to strategically planting the right word or phrase in the spot-on location of any given page in one of his books! I am a fan of his work and having read previous titles he’s written, Times Like These does not disappoint. There is a natural and credible ebb and flow of conversation as well as scene set up. There is a dry sarcasm that is signature to Mr. Klein’s style that is contagious and embodies immediate engagement with the story. At the risk of sounding like an over the top ‘fan-girl,’ I have to say Mr. Klein has an enviable and natural-born talent when it comes to penning a must-read. Well done and yes! It’s time for another, please.
Quill says: Times Like These is a fantastic work of fiction that is laugh out loud funny at times as much as it’s introspective in the next moment.
For more information on Times Like These, please visit the publisher's website at: https://www.johnrklein.com/
Today, Feathered Quill reviewer Holly Connors is talking with Kristin Rohman Rehkamp, co-author of Finding Us: A Mother's Memoir of Braving Mental Illness With Her Young Daughter.
FQ: Was it a hard choice to decide to write this book? Did your entire family support the decision?
REHKAMP: One year into our journey with Anna’s panic disorder we found ourselves in a situation where we were advised by a medical team that we might want to be cautious about sharing Anna’s name, her story…her face. All with highest and best intention to protect Anna from feeling ashamed in the future or being shamed by others. I sat our daughter down and tried to explain why we might want to hide her identity and the truth…and then I stopped. I stopped because our daughter asked me that if I was ashamed of her...if others were ashamed of her...should she be ashamed of who she is? From that moment on we chose to empower our daughter with courage, pride, and a strong voice. Many think I wrote the book for others. Honestly, I wrote the book to keep our daughter alive. To show her together we bravely can be the force of change so badly needed for families, youth or individuals that brave the same journey.
FQ: “But I need you to “find you” and embrace her.” Very touching and deeply moving words. Would you tell our readers a little about what this means?
REHKAMP: For so long our family (and so many others like us) look for the “reason” our child got sick and the way back to “before.” We hold onto every thread of hope that life will resume as it was if we just find the magic answer or “the” reason/cure. In our case, Anna’s panic disorder presented abruptly, and our life changed as quickly as if we were in a devastating car accident. We had a very blessed life—a life we had carefully crafted. Accepting our new way of life (a life or path we did not choose) was difficult—for all of us, but especially for Anna. A year into our journey we began to realize that healing would only really start, really take a foothold, with acceptance of our new situation or way of life. Sometimes we need to let go of who we were or our life before to truly move forward, heal and soar again.
FQ: In my review, I quoted your reason for writing Finding Us, as not for “...recognition, accolades...or to reduce stigmas...we tell our story to normalize the conversation, educate others and reduce the shaming that occurs...” Why do you think, in this “modern” time, it’s so hard to normalize the conversation around mental illness?
REHKAMP: I really believe mental health/illness is grossly misunderstood and unfortunately the support systems (such as healthcare and educational) have been designed around this misunderstanding, so they inadequately support, along with being grossly under-resourced and under-developed. Honestly, my perspective on mental health continues to evolve and change as I learn and learn from our daughter. Today I am starting to no longer refer to Anna’s anxiety/panic as a disorder or illness (already different than how I referred to it in Finding Us). I am starting to think/wonder if we are all pre-dispositioned to manage our anxiety differently and unfortunately if we do not fit “the box” or the mainstreamed approach, we are labeled and considered different or ill. I say this because I have watched the healthcare and educational systems (despite highest and best intentions by so many lovely people) exasperate our daughter’s symptoms, trauma and PTSD. We need to evolve our thinking, approach and systems that support.
FQ: You mention the importance of finding the right mental AND physical healthcare team. Why is this important and what advice would you give others struggling to find the right team?
REHKAMP: Finding the right team is imperative for everyone involved—the child/individual and family/friends/community that support. How do you find the right team? I get this question a lot and honestly wish I had a better answer. Again, the healthcare system for those that might need support is difficult and frustrating to navigate. My best advice: listen to your child…listen to your heart…listen to your family, and be tenacious. Research and try many different approaches until you find the right fit/combination. We explored everything from Western to Eastern medicine. Anna has tried many different medications, therapies and counseling teams. At one time Anna struggled in a clinical counseling setting, so we transitioned her therapy to “Acres for Life” to receive equestrian therapy. Anna’s current multi-disciplinary team includes a psychiatrist, individual counselor, family counselor, pediatrician, school case manager, nutritionist and a chiropractor—a holistic approach we have found is extremely important. If you are hesitant, never be ashamed of getting help or teaching your children it is okay to ask for help. In my opinion, it is a sign of strength and courage.
FQ: Dance was such an important part of your daughter’s life before her mental illness began and she certainly bravely struggled to continue with dance throughout treatment. Is she still dancing today?
REHKAMP: No, Anna is no longer dancing today. She mentions possibly wanting to dance again in the future. I think there is still currently too much related trauma and PTSD. However, Anna is now very active in the theatre and her dancing/training certainly enhances her stage presence.
FQ: I love the note your daughter gave you that read, “God gives the toughest soldiers the hardest missions.” You mention that you saved the note. Does it give you hope on those days when you find it hard to get out of bed?
REHKAMP: Yes, I am looking at the note on my bulletin board adjacent to my desk now. There are many days I have needed this reminder.
I am a believer that all things happen for a reason and despite the challenges life throws at us, we can live intentionally with purpose and pride. I work hard every day to teach Anna and my other two children this.
FQ: So many people think that dealing with mental illness means trying to get better rather than getting stronger. You make it clear that it’s about getting stronger and you make this point several times throughout your memoir. Why are so many people fixated on “getting better” and how might that make their lives more difficult?
REHKAMP: Many of us understand physical illness (e.g. a cold)—symptoms we understand and can quite literally see (a runny nose, watery eyes, a cough, stuffy nose, etc.). We know with time, sleep and maybe some antibiotics that we will start to feel better and life will resume as it was before. With most physical illnesses there is a diagnosis, a treatment plan and/or prognosis. We assume the same for mental illness. Unfortunately, it is not the same. Diagnosis is difficult, treatment plans are often trial-and-error, and prognosis is rarely ever known. In addition, we make the assumption if we “just find the fix” life as we knew it might resume or revert back. A mental illness is not something you get past, but instead something you learn to live with. Again, I am not sure we are always dealing with an illness, despite our attempt to classify it as such. Our daughter will always have acute anxiety and might brave panic attacks her entire life. She is not going to “get better,” but instead will get stronger by accepting and learning to live with her anxiety and panic.
FQ: In the chapter where you recount “Our Daughter’s Journey,” it becomes clear that you’ve become quite proficient on all the medical jargon, medicines and treatments surrounding your daughter’s illness. It seems like a necessity when dealing with the medical world and fighting for answers. Do you find this a necessity to navigate through the medical world when seeking answers?
REHKAMP: Parents/care providers understand their children best, so in my opinion, they are their child’s greatest care advocate and certainly an expert at the table. An expert not necessarily because parents will learn the medical jargon or have a degree in medicine, but because parents/care providers know their children best. Despite what medical terminology we know or do not know, parents should always show up confidently and courageously—I have learned we often know more than we give ourselves credit for. Our voice is important and our children depend on it.
FQ: You tell “the other moms out there...” to not try to be perfect. How important is it for parents to take care of themselves when dealing with a child with mental illness? And how hard is it to stop and take a few minutes for self-care?
REHKAMP: I am chuckling as I write this—I promised myself a run today and I still have not taken the time for myself. I am also a Type A, First-Born—I strive for order in my life. Statement above is as much for me as it is for others. But, I will advise that I know I am not nearly the parent I need to be for Anna and our other two children if I am exhausted mentally, emotionally and physically. It is extremely important to remember that moms, dads, care providers, siblings, etc. are patients too. Meaning we are all impacted by mental illness and need self-care and love. Be good to yourself because only then can you be good for others. Now, off for that run...
Today, Feathered Quill reviewer Diane Lunsford is talking with Brett Shapiro, author of Late in the Day.
FQ: Thank you for the opportunity to discuss Late in the Day with you. I found this to be a captivating read. You captured the essence of all three characters beautifully and I wonder of Honey, Hank, and Seth, who would you relate to most and why?
SHAPIRO: I’m so pleased that you felt I’d made my three characters come to life, especially since all three of them are fictional characters. In order to let them unfold in all of their complexity, I had to be able to “relate” to all of them, to fit myself in their skin as much as possible. Seth was the easiest fit for me, particularly because of two essentials: he is male and he is not religious. Hank and Honey were more challenging, since their essences were more foreign to me. But they needed to be rendered as fully as Seth if the story was to work, so I had to figure out how to relate to them even more; otherwise I risked manipulating them to arrive at my desired end rather than letting them lead the way.
FQ: Your bio portrays some amazing places you have lived. Twenty-five years in Italy is a lifetime in and of itself. While I have not read your memoir L’Intruso, I’m curious why you selected this title?
Author Brett Shapiro
SHAPIRO: The word l’intruso can mean either “the intruder” or “the intrusion” in English. I had “the intrusion” in mind. The memoir is about a chunk of my life during the AIDS crisis of the late Eighties/early Nineties. My partner (an Italian living in the States) and I were living in New York at the time with our two children—two boys, ages two and nine. My partner was HIV-positive and when the symptoms were taking over—or should I say taking away—his life, he wanted to move back to Rome to be close to his family. We uprooted ourselves as a family unit, complete with our cats, and moved to Rome. I had few if any resources to help me cope with this new life and language, not to mention my partner’s rapidly deteriorating condition that consumed him every minute of the day. Naturally, I felt that AIDS was intruding upon our life; but often I felt that it was me who was intruding upon my partner’s relationship with AIDS. The intimacy of these three relationships was the foundation of the book, but there were other equally important dynamics: family (including of the non-traditional kind); Judaism; parenting; love; and, of course, death. I can’t tell you how surprised I was when the book became a top-ten bestseller in Italy, and went on to become an award-winning film and theatrical production. The fact that the universal themes could prevail, even with a foundation as provocative as AIDS, and be appreciated by such a large and varied readership was enormously gratifying. My only regret was that the book was never published in English.
FQ: Tell us a bit about your experience as a "...veteran writer for the United Nations..." Is there a particular piece that stands out for you and why?
SHAPIRO: I have been writing and editing reports and books for the United Nations for more than thirty years. Almost all of my work revolves around some aspect of rural poverty in developing countries—women’s empowerment; child labor; climate change; access to health care, markets, credit and education; farming systems; and the list goes on and on. There are countless projects that I worked on that stand out, but one in particular was most meaningful and eye-opening for me. Without going into too much detail, I was asked to travel to a series of remote villages in several African countries in order to meet with the women in the villages and gain an understanding of what they perceived to be the factors in their life that were preventing them from rising out of poverty. It was an extremely arduous project that unfolded over a period of two years. It was also a project that needed to be carried out. So often, development agencies intervene by imposing their solutions on different societies and cultures. The United Nations is no exception. But in this case, the tables were turned. As a representative of the U.N., my job was to sit under a tree (or in a field of maize) for hours with up to 40 women at a time in order to listen to them and to learn from them. It was an extraordinary experience, and I only hope that the documents I produced as a result of the project made a difference in the lives of those women—and the many other women who live in conditions of extreme poverty and marginalization.
FQ: It’s clear the beach is the anchor setting in Late in the Day. In many respects, it was the healing draw for all three characters and, without too much of a spoiler, the destiny for the outcome that bonds the three together. What spiritual fulfillment do you get from the beach?
SHAPIRO: A sunrise beach walk for me is the equivalent to morning prayer or meditation. I go out each morning before sunrise (except on the rare morning when it’s raining hard) and spend at least an hour at the beach, where the only sound I hear is from the waves, and the only visual is a vast expanse of sand, sea and sky. I do greet passersby from time to time, but I try to keep to myself without seeming rude. It’s my period of catching up with my quieter self in order to prepare myself for what is usually a not-so-quiet day. It’s an extremely humbling experience, and I’m a firm believer in humility.
FQ: In line with my previous question, I spent several years living along the Gold Coast of Florida and have fond memories of riding my bike to the beach in time to catch the sunrise. If you had to choose, what would be one of your top five beaches to visit in Florida and why that one?
SHAPIRO: I’ll admit that I’ve not visited much of the state since I moved here almost ten years ago. I feel content in the microcosm I’ve created here. When I do feel the need to break away from my daily life, I tend to set my sights further than Florida. I’m extremely fortunate to have a very quiet and off-the-beaten-track beach as my front yard. There are few people at any hour, the beach is wide, and it’s not lined with high-rise condominiums and hotels. I’d list my very own beach as one of my top five, if not first on my list. At least in Florida.
FQ: The dynamics among the three characters was interesting. On one hand you had Seth (who is gay), Hank, a widower and struggling with the loss of his wife, and Honey who is trying to work out when and how her marriage became so complacent. There is a sublime nuance particularly between Seth and Hank in that on one hand Hank seems to be uncomfortable with Seth’s homosexuality, but it works given one of Hank’s sons is gay. How difficult was it to weave the storyline with this premise given the "climate" we live in today?
SHAPIRO: I never really thought of the storyline as being difficult in terms of today’s climate – probably because I never considered today’s “climate” when I was writing the story. Although many LGBTQ issues are on the front burner in the news, they are on the front burner because the LGBTQ community has made such significant strides over the past few decades. I find that there is the “political” position and there is the “personal” position, and I usually have more faith in personal positions. They are more heartfelt and flexible. My book is in no way political, so there was no difficulty for me along political lines, since it was not a dimension that I considered. The challenge was to create a storyline that was credible and unifying, given the different experiences and temperaments of the three main characters. But that was the whole motive for writing the novel in the first place.
FQ: In line with my previous question, were there times when you hit a wall and had to set your pen down? How did you overcome the drag and restart your writing engine?
SHAPIRO: Of course there were times when I hit a wall. But there were never times when I set my pen down. I have a very rigid writing schedule. I sit at my desk at the same time each day for two hours to write. Sometimes I manage to write a few pages; other times I write only one sentence, and a bad one at that. But during those two hours, the pen does not get set down. That is my time to work seriously, regardless of what ends up on the page when the session is over. If I don’t commit at least one word to paper, I have nothing to react to when I face the page the following day. Nothing to propel me forward. Don’t get me wrong. I do have bad writing days, but the easiest way for me to keep moving is to root around in the draft and find a few sentences that I love, the kind of sentence that makes me think, “Did I really write that? Where did that come from?” A small push like that is all it takes for me.
FQ: Is there a place in your life when you came upon an abandoned house and your initial reaction was: "...this is magical...how great would it be if I could breathe new life into it..." Was this something that happened in your life? I ask because the descriptions of the beach house in Late in the Day are quite vivid and credible.
SHAPIRO: When I was living in Italy, I traveled to Lesbos frequently. A dear friend of mine was originally from the island and spent her summers there in what was know as the “aristocratic” house of her small village. I became enchanted with the place, and she helped me find an abandoned house on a small plot of land. Actually the house was not a house. It was once a stone stall for small livestock. I worked with an architect to design a simple but beautiful home. The project was approved by the municipality. My plan was to spend a good deal of time there, but then I moved back to the States and my life took a different direction entirely. I still own the plot of land and the rubble. I’ll leave it to my son in case he wants to breathe life into it one day.
FQ: I enjoyed how you portrayed each character maintaining ‘hope.’ What is your ‘go to’ when you feel as though nothing seems to be "going my way”?
SHAPIRO: This may be hard to believe, but I don’t recall ever feeling as though nothing seems to be going my way. My days are extremely full and varied, and if one thing isn’t going particularly well, there’s always one other thing that is moving along swimmingly. That said, when my overall mood seems to be veering downward, a quiet walk at the beach or a soulful conversation with the right friend usually does the trick.
FQ: What energizes you most when you pick up your pen? Do you enjoy the dialogue exchanges, or the scene set up? What comes more naturally to you and why?
SHAPIRO: When it’s time for me to go to my desk to write, my overall feeling is that I can’t wait to spend time with my characters, to see what they’re up to. It’s like I’m about to knock at the door to pay a visit to a few good friends, but instead of holding a bottle of wine, I hold a #2 lead pencil (with a full eraser on its tip). Nothing comes naturally to me when it comes to writing. All of it—scene-setting, dialogue, character development, narrative, point of view—is excruciating work. But the flip side is the satisfaction when you’ve nailed something just right.
FQ: In line with my previous question, do you dream about your characters? Do you miss them when the story ends?
SHAPIRO: I think about my characters a lot during the day. They are kind enough to leave me alone when I sleep at night, bless their souls. But I do miss them terribly when the story ends. That’s why it’s so important for me to have another solid story idea in mind before I finish the story I’m working on. I don’t how I could cope with a day when I didn’t have one or more characters to think about.
FQ: Thank you again for your time and the treat of reading Late in the Day. Clearly you have a gift and I’m hoping you’re working on your next book. If so, could you share a glimpse into the work?
SHAPIRO: I am one chapter away from finishing a solid first draft of another novel, provisionally called Henry’s Version. It’s a shorter work, about 200 pages, and it’s my first novel written in first-person. I’ve set myself two additional challenges: the first-person narrative is filtered through the main character when he is eight, forty and seventy years old; and the novel is 100 percent invention (at least I think so). I’m not ready to disclose what the novel is about, but I will say that I believe it’s my best work to date. And my cohort of trustworthy beta readers feels the same way. I’m very excited about it and hope to have it finalized and ready for publication in about a year. But who knows? Maybe one of the characters will surprise me with an unexpected path and it will take longer. In any event, I’m having a great time with it!
Just one more day to nominate your book to the Feathered Quill Book Awards before the "last minute" late fee kicks in. Nominate by Nov. 15th at midnight to save money. Learn more at: https://featheredquill.com/feathered-quill-book-awards/
Balsamic Moon by Alan Gartenhaus is a heart-rending and uplifting fictional story of two people from diverse backgrounds and life experiences who are caught up in the aftermath of the destruction left behind by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Doreen Williams and Richard Girard live in the same neighborhood but are not acquainted with each other until circumstances outside their control bring them together. Even though there is a mandatory evacuation mandate due to the severe weather threat of Hurricane Katrina, an enormous and powerful storm, Doreen and Richard decide not to evacuate their homes. After the worst of the storm seems to be over, the neighborhood is flooded. Richard rescues Doreen from her house, and the two of them, along with Doreen’s dog, take refuge in the attic of Richard’s house. However, they are facing a grave situation. Richard is suffering from injuries he incurred while trying to rescue a cat, and there is very little water or food. Will the two adults and the dog be rescued, or will Hurricane Katrina cost them their lives?
Gartenhaus does not shy away from portraying the extent of the tangible and intangible damage after Hurricane Katrina makes landfall. Readers are given in-depth perspectives into how two people cope with their decisions to ride out the storm and take their chances. The author’s creative use of sensory language immerses readers into the story. It allows them to visualize the devastation and see the different ways people react when they are suddenly and unexpectedly thrust into dealing with the fallout from a weather-related disaster that they are ill-equipped to handle. Readers gain an up-close and personal view into the physical and emotional toll it takes on the people who do not leave the neighborhood and hope to be rescued.
The story includes the development of an unlikely friendship between two people, the value of familial love, heartbreak, shared precious moments, and sacrifices. Readers are also shown how much of an indelible mark is left on people who experience a major life-changing event, coping mechanisms for dealing with devastating loss, and the inner strength called upon in the face of tremendous hardship.
Balsamic Moon is a story that will touch the hearts of those who read it. It shows the power of what people can endure when a natural disaster strikes and puts survival in jeopardy, as well as tangible personal property that has sentimental value and is closely linked to precious memories.
Quill says: A soul-stirring story of heartbreak, loss, and resilience in the face of dire circumstances.
For more information on Balsamic Moon, please visit the author's website at:
