The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth.
But, slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future-between the one she loves and the one who loves her.
And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?
About the Author
Carrie Ryan was born and raised in Greenville, SC and is a graduate of Williams College and Duke University School of Law. A former litigator, she now pursues her true passion and writes full time. Although Ryan's 2009 novel, THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH, is set in a world roamed by the living dead, before meeting her fiance JP she was actually a self-proclaimed "scaredy-cat" who avoided horror movies. JP was the one who convinced her to go to her first zombie movie and opened a whole new world up to her, which is why she dedicated her first book to him. Her second novel, THE DEAD-TOSSED WAVES, a companion to her first novel, will be out in March 2010. She lives in Charlotte, NC with two fat cats and one large puppy."
A village isolated from the rest of the world, and living under the belief that they are the last of mankind. Living behind a fence which protects them from the Unconsecrated (walking dead/zombies), the village is ruled by the Sisterhood. Mary has always been raised with stories of how things used to be-- buildings that touched the sky and salty oceans stretching out as far as the eyes can see. Despite the teachings of the Sisterhood, she still wonders whether there could be anyone else out there. Are the oceans still there? She's drawn to know what is beyond The Forest of Hands and Teeth that surrounds them.
It's taken me so long to finally read this book. It's been a long time coming. So what did I think? Well, first of all, the thing most striking to me was how much this story felt like the movie The Village. Right down to the red vest Gabrielle wore, which reminded me of the "bad color" in The Village.
I enjoyed the story, but it did start out a little slow. I expected it to be more about zombies, but it really wound up being more about Mary and her conflicted feelings and confusion. The zombies...well, their depiction is sort of...detached. They aren't generally described in great detail, and there is little interaction between them and the residents of the village. The zombies are simply a fixture in the everyday lives of the villagers.
Final word- I enjoyed it. It wasn't quite as good as I had hoped (as I was expecting a more traditional zombie story- creepy and scary), but I still enjoyed it and look forward to the sequel.
Do you know a young, aspiring writer? Then that person needs to attend DevoFest!
I’ve known the founders of Christian Devotions Ministries and DevoKids for several years now, and this is an outstanding opportunity for young writers!
From their website:
Kids! Ignite your creative spirit with DevoFest! This powerful three-day conference (June 17,18,19, 2011 ) will encourage youth ages 7-17 to discover and develop their interest and talents in film, print and public speaking.
As part of the DevoFest writers’ contest, one lucky youth will receive a book contract! Beginning Friday afternoon, teens, tweens, middle-graders and younger will mingle with and learn from professional actors and best-selling authors in an intimate classroom setting.
Workshops include: novel writing, graphic-novel creation, acting, film production, script-writing, story telling, the production of musical videos, creative cooking, drama, science exploration, and suspense-filled adventure walks where youth will explore the scary and fun facts about nature. (Bring your bear whistle!)
Held on the grounds of the LifeWay Ridgecrest Conference Center in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, this sprawling 1,300 acre campus offers hiking trails, scenic brooks and nature walks.
DevoFest has a program fee of only $85 per student, which includes all sessions and breaks. A meal package is also available for on-campus dining covering all meals from Friday evening, through Sunday lunch. Convenient, on-campus lodging is available at Ridgecrest. Deluxe Room Rate: $90 per night, per room and kids stay free when accompanied by an adult.
Part of the Christian Devotions Ministries, this event will take place in Ridgecrest, NC. (Just outside of Asheville.)
For more information on the workshops and to sign up for this great event, visitDevoFest
NOTE: A reminder that you are free to email me about any giveaways that you are having, if you want me to blog them, and I'll be happy to try to post them even if I am not entering them. Just include a link to the giveaway, what you are giving away, how many copies are being given away, and the deadline in order to assure being included. Email me at nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com.
Here is a list of some giveaways going on in Blogworld*. Please note that new giveaways that were added this week are indented in Blockquotes:
I Am a Reader, Not a Writer is giving away 2 copies of 33 Habits of a Really Good Man. Deadline is January 30. US only.
A Myriad of Books is giving away the entire Iron Fey series. Deadline is January 31. US/Canada only.
A Good Addiction is giving away a copy of Fixing Delilah along with some maple and Vermont-themed "goodies". Deadline is January 31. US only.
Libby's Library News is giving away 2 copies of the audiobook The Wolves of Andover. Deadline is January 31. US/Canada only.
Lauren Oliver is giving away 5 signed copies of Delirium, along with 5 book thongs! Deadline is January 31.
Bookish in a Box is having a big 1st blogoversary giveaway! Deadline is January 31. US only.
Hooked to Books is giving away a book of choice from the Book Depostitory. Deadline is January 31. International!
YA Highway is giving away 5 prize packs of two books each. Deadline is January 31. US/Canada only.
A Good Addiction is giving away a copy of Delirium. Deadline is February 2. US only.
Socrates Book Reviews is giving away 3 copies of How Sweet it Is. Deadline is February 3. US/Canada only.
Library Girl Reads is giving away $45 for CSN Stores. Deadline is February 4. US/Canada only.
Fantastic Book Review is giving away a set of the books Lockdown and Solitary. Deadline is February 5. US/Canada only.
Books by Their Cover is giving away $65 for CSN Stores. Deadline is February 5. US/Canada only.
A Fanatic's Book Blog blog is giving away a copy of The Long Weekend. Deadline is February 6. International!
Readaholic is giving away 3 copies of How Sweet it Is. Deadline is February 7. US/Canada only.
Bookalicious is having a huge two year blogging anniversary giveaway! Deadline is February 10. International!
The Last Word is giving away your choice of her top 10 books of 2010! Deadline is February 10.
Between the Covers is giving away a copy of Radiant Shadows as part of Follower Love! Deadline is February 13. International!
Outhouse Reviews is giving away Kiss of Death and a goody bag as part of Follower Love! Deadline is February 13. International!
Hooked to Books is giving away a copy of Matched and $15 in book choices as part of Follower Love! Deadline is February 13. International!
One Book Shy is giving away a $10 book of choice and a $65 CSN gift code as part of Follower Love! Deadline is February 13. International!
Cici's Theories is giving away Twenty-Boy Summer and some other things as part of Follower Love! Deadline is February 13.
See Scoot Read is giving away your choice of six books to 2 winners as part of Follower Love! Deadline is February 13. International!
The Book Rat is giving away your choice from a prize pool as part of Follower Love! Deadline is February 13. International!
Dark Faerie Tales is giving away a copy of The Iron Queen and an Iron Fey tee. Deadline is February 14. US only.
My Bookish Ways is giving away a signed copy of Outside In. Deadline is February 15. US/Canada only.
YA Booklover is having a big follower contest! 3 winners so far, and possibly more to come! Deadline is February 25. International!
Sparkling Reviews is giving a color Nook! Deadline is whenever 1100 followers is reached. International!
*Courtesy Note:Please keep in mind the many, many hours of work that goes into me compiling this list each week. Please be courteous and thoughtful, and do not steal my text. Either recreate your own list, or link to this list and direct your readers here for giveaway information. Thank you so much for your consideration.
To five-year-old Jack, Room is the entire world. It is where he was born and grew up; it's where he lives with his Ma as they learn and read and eat and sleep and play. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits.
Room is home to Jack, but to Ma, it is the prison where Old Nick has held her captive for seven years. Through determination, ingenuity, and fierce motherly love, Ma has created a life for Jack. But she knows it's not enough...not for her or for him. She devises a bold escape plan, one that relies on her young son's bravery and a lot of luck. What she does not realize is just how unprepared she is for the plan to actually work.
Told entirely in the language of the energetic, pragmatic five-year-old Jack, ROOM is a celebration of resilience and the limitless bond between parent and child, a brilliantly executed novel about what it means to journey from one world to another.
Introducing books through the first chapter or so...
My mother used to tell me about the ocean. She said there was a place where there was nothing but water as far as you could see and that it was always moving, rushing toward you and then away. She once showed me a picture that she said was my great-great-great-grandmother standing in the ocean as a child. It has been years since, and the picture was lost to fire long ago, but I remember it, faded and worn. A little girl surrounded by nothingness.
The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels-- A Love Story by Ree Drummond
"That's when I saw him—the cowboy—across the smoky room."
I'll never forget that night. It was like a romance novel, an old Broadway musical, and a John Wayne western rolled into one. Out for a quick drink with friends, I wasn't looking to meet anyone, let alone a tall, rugged cowboy who lived on a cattle ranch miles away from my cultured, corporate hometown. But before I knew it, I'd been struck with a lightning bolt . . . and I was completely powerless to stop it.
Read along as I recount the rip-roaring details of my unlikely romance with a chaps-wearing cowboy, from the early days of our courtship (complete with cows, horses, prairie fire, and passion) all the way through the first year of our marriage, which would be filled with more challenge and strife—and manure—than I ever could have expected.
This isn't just my love story; it's a universal tale of passion, romance, and all-encompassing love that sweeps us off our feet.
Ninety-five days, and then I'll be safe. I wonder whether the procedure will hurt. I want to get it over with. It's hard to be patient. It's hard not to be afraid while I'm still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn't touched me yet. Still, I worry. They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness. The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don't.
Lauren Oliver astonished readers with her stunning debut, Before I Fall. In a starred review, Publishers Weekly called it "raw, emotional, and, at times, beautiful. An end as brave as it is heartbreaking." Her much-awaited second novel fulfills her promise as an exceptionally talented and versatile writer.
One beautiful summer afternoon, Jody Linder receives shocking news: The man convicted of murdering her father is being released from prison and returning to the small town of Rose, Kansas. It has been twenty-three years since that stormy night when her father was shot and killed and her mother disappeared, presumed dead. Neither the protective embrace of Jody’s three uncles nor the safe haven of her grandparents’ ranch could erase the pain caused by Billy Crosby on that catastrophic night.
Now Billy Crosby is free, thanks to the efforts of his son, Collin, a lawyer who has spent most of his life trying to prove his father’s innocence. Despite their long history of carefully avoiding each other in such an insular community, Jody and Collin find that they share an exclusive sense of loss.
As Jody revisits old wounds, startling truths emerge about her family’s tragic past. But even through struggle and hardship, she still dares to hope for a better future—and maybe even love.
Each skeleton is flawless--gleaming white and perfectly preserved, a testament to his skill. Every scrap of flesh has been removed to reveal the glistening bone beneath. And the collection is growing. . .
No Compassion
When bleached human bones are identified as belonging to a former patient of Dr. James Dixon, Detective Malcolm Kier suspects the worst. Dixon was recently acquitted of attempted murder, thanks to defense attorney Angie Carlson. But as the body count rises, Kier is convinced that Angie is now the target of a brutal, brilliant psychopath.
No Escape
Angie is no stranger to the dark side of human nature. But nothing has prepared her for the decades-long legacy of madness and murder about to be revealed--or a killer ready to claim her as his ultimate trophy. . .
Wanna read Merciless? Don't forget to enter my giveaway for both Merciless and Senseless. It ends 1/31/11.
Whether she’s writing a bestselling romantic suspense novel or baking up a storm in her Richmond, Virginia kitchen, Mary Burton doesn’t do anything half-heartedly—and that includes her 2011 Valentine’s Day recipe, Merciless Peanut Butter Brownies. This year she’s created a combo that’s mercilessly indulgent and deadly delicious. Go ahead! Feed it to your honey—by hand—on Valentine’s Day!
Merciless Peanut Butter Brownies
Love at First Bite
Brownie Batter:
½ cup (1 stick) of butter
1 cup of cocoa
1 teaspoon of brandy
2 cups of sugar
½ teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 egg yolk
Filling:
1/3 cup of peanut butter
1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon brandy
Topping:
8 oz of melting chocolate
Melt butter and pour over cocoa in a mixing bowl. Add in brandy, sugar and salt. Mix in eggs and yolk. Set batter aside and mix together peanut butter and confectioner’s sugar. Form into balls. Evenly spread half the batter in a baking pan. Arrange peanut butter balls on batter. Cover with remaining batter. Bake for 35 minutes. When the brownies have cooled pour melted chocolate over them and let set. Slice and enjoy!
Don't forget! Bestselling author Mary Burton has just released her two books Senseless and Merciless, follow-ups to her hit Dying Scream. Don't miss out on your chance to win both Senseless and Merciless. Enter my giveaway for both books to a single winner! This giveaway has somehow managed to go unnoticed, and currently has no entries. This giveaway ends 1/31/11. Hurry!
She’s here to talk about what she is doing to promote her latest book. Homework Helpers: Essays and Term Papers.
Nowadays, promoting your own book, especially when it comes to non-fiction, is something every author is going to need to do. Publishers do help (for instance, my publisher hired a publicity firm to work with me) but a lot of promotion responsibility rests on the author’s shoulders.
There are a lot of things you can do; some you are probably already doing (like blogging) and some that are fun things you can do once you have a book on the way. Since my book, Homework Helpers: Essays and Term Papers, is geared toward students, teachers, and homeschooling parents, I try to connect with those readers as often as possible. Here are some of the things I’ve been doing to help promote my book:
* This blog tour :)
* I created an Author Page on Facebook, Amazon, and Goodreads
* I began promoting my upcoming book through my blog and website and focused on building my readership
* I’ve printed bookmarks and postcards featuring my book to leave on the counters of my local library and bookstore – and I recruited as many friends and family members as I could to do so as well. I will also be mailing the postcards and press kits (see next bullet) to schools and other institutions that might be interested in my book
* You can create press kits to send to newspapers, radio stations, and any other venue that might either plug or be interested in your book
* I spoke with my local bookstore about making appearances and will appear with my book at their bi-annual teacher convention
- Any appearance opportunities you can find will be a great help in promoting your book. Whether it be visiting schools or speaking at conventions, these are a great way to get yourself and your book known.
- Online appearances like Twitter chats, blog and website guest posts, Skype chats, forum chats, and any other venue where you can connect with your audience are great
*I even have family members wearing T-shirts with a picture of my cover to their English classes and Disneyland :)
Bottom line – connect with your audience. Let them know you have a book they need :)
Homework Helpers: Essays and Term Papers is a fun, user-friendly book that guides the reader, step by step, through writing a dozen different types of essays, including the dreaded SAT essay. Using straightforward, plain English, this book shows the reader exactly what they need to do, from start to finish, and includes rough draft, edited, and final draft versions of every type of essay discussed. This book also provides chapters that include tips and instruction on researching, proofreading, and citations.
Michelle McLean is a writer and the Chief Editorial Consultant for PixelMags, LLC. In addition to her non-fiction work, Michelle writes YA historical novels and other children’s books. If she's not editing, reading or chasing her kids, she can usually be found in a quiet corner working on her next book. Visit Michelle at her website,blog,Twitter, or Facebook page.
The final book in The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins will have hearts racing, pages turning, and everyone talking about one of the biggest and most talked-about books and authors in recent publishing history!!!!
Since 1991, Suzanne Collins has been busy writing for children’s television. She has worked on the staffs of several Nickelodeon shows, including the Emmy-nominated hit Clarissa Explains it All and The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo. For preschool viewers, she penned multiple stories for the Emmy-nominated Little Bear and Oswald. She also co-wrote the critically acclaimed Rankin/Bass Christmas special, Santa, Baby! Most recently she was the Head Writer for Scholastic Entertainment’s Clifford’s Puppy Days.
While working on a Kids WB show called Generation O! she met children’s author James Proimos, who talked her into giving children’s books a try.
Thinking one day about Alice in Wonderland, she was struck by how pastoral the setting must seem to kids who, like her own, lived in urban surroundings. In New York City, you’re much more likely to fall down a manhole than a rabbit hole and, if you do, you’re not going to find a tea party. What you might find...? Well, that’s the story of Gregor the Overlander, the first book in her five-part fantasy/war series, The Underland Chronicles.
At present, Suzanne is hard at work on the third book in her sci-fi series, The Hunger Games.
She currently lives in Connecticut with her family and a pair of feral kittens they adopted from their backyard.
My Thoughts
Katniss has been rescued from the arena of the Hunger Games, and is now within the enclave of the infamous District 13, believed by the other districts to have been wiped out years ago by the Capitol. Gale is with her as they work with the rebels to take down the capitol, and hope to find a way to rescue Peeta, who was taken hostage after Katniss was rescued.
I liked Hunger Games, and I loved Catching Fire. I think that I enjoyed Mockingjay even more!
I never like to give away too much of a storyline, so I always feel compelled to keep my assessment brief.
There were some slow moments, but I liked the emotional degree in this book. I actually found myself tearing up quite a bit throughout this book as Katniss would touch on sensitive moments, and struggle to squash her emotions and gain control over herself. I fluctuated from wanting to wrap my wings around Katniss and protect her to cheering her on and telling her to go kick some ass!
I worried for Peeta and hoped they would successfully rescue him swiftly. I've always been Team Peeta! He's always been so compassionate, self-sacrificing and level-headed.
Prim is still a little duck, but growing up and becoming her own woman.
I loved Mockingjay, and I thought it a fine ending to a good YA series (my first YA series!). If you haven't finished up the series yet, but have been thinking about it, don't fear- it's worth the wait.
My Rating: 9 out of 10
Reminder: Don't forget my double giveaway going on for both Senseless and Merciless by Mary Burton. Somehow it has gotten missed, and currently has no entries! It ends 1/31/11.
Hosted by Alex J Cavanaugh - visit his site for a complete list of participants!
I love music! Music inspires me and sets my mood. It inspires my writing and my main characters all have theme songs.
For me, this was an easy blogfest, as my favorite songs are on a series of "Favorites" CDs and all in order. All I had to do was grab the first disc! It's been a few years since I updated these discs (although my top songs haven't changed in years) so I decided to make the last song on my list a wild card pick of a more recent song.
Thus I give my Tope Ten Favorite Songs:
1 - Last Chance by Shooting Star This has been my most favorite song in the world since 1981, becoming my mantra, and I doubt that will ever change. "This could be your last chance To believe in yourself Your last chance To yell Your last chance To be good to yourself Your last chance To drink from life's well."
2 - Icehouse by Icehouse Another song from 1981. The very first time I heard this haunting melody, I fell in love. (Ironic, because as the lyrics state, "There's no love inside the Icehouse."
3 - Voices of Babylon by The Outfield This song packs so much energy, and I've always loved the video. It inspired a dystopian story I doubt I'll ever write. Besides, the idea isn't as fresh now as it was back in 1989...
4 - Learning To Fly by Pink Floyd Floyd has always been a favorite band and I just love the strength of this song. It came at just the right time in my life.
5 - Empty Rooms by Gary Moore Both studio versions of this song will tear at your heart, and I've always envisioned a clear, cold autumn day shrouded in sorrow. The live version is perhaps the saddest thing you will ever hear...
6 - Chronologie 4 by Jean-Michel Jarre If I had to name a favorite artist, it would be new age composer Jarre. His music is so unique and this song crackles with boundless energy!
7 - 10538 Overture by Electric Light Orchestra ELO was the first band I ever loved. I collected all of their albums and the first time I heard this 1971 tune, I connected. Very moving song.
8 - Bringing on the Heartbreak by Def Leppard Yes, it's overplayed and cliche, but this song cemented my love for Def Leppard and is still my favorite.
9 - Pride by U2 Just so much passion and emotion in this tune!
10 - Get Some by Chevelle A dozen songs came to mind for my last, more current pick. I love Chevelle and selected this song for it energy and strength.
NOTE: A reminder that you are free to email me about any giveaways that you are having, if you want me to blog them, and I'll be happy to try to post them even if I am not entering them. Just include a link to the giveaway, what you are giving away, how many copies are being given away, and the deadline in order to assure being included. Email me at nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com.
Here is a list of some giveaways going on in Blogworld*. Please note that new giveaways that were added this week are indented in Blockquotes:
Libby's Library News is giving away 3 copies of The Science of Kissing. Deadline is January 23. US/Canada only.
Caroline Valdez Miller is giving away a signed copy of XVI. Deadline is January 27. International!
I Am a Reader, Not a Writer is giving away 2 copies of 33 Habits of a Really Good Man. Deadline is January 30. US only.
A Myriad of Books is giving away the entire Iron Fey series. Deadline is January 31. US/Canada only.
A Good Addiction is giving away a copy of Fixing Delilah along with some maple and Vermont-themed "goodies". Deadline is January 31. US only.
Libby's Library News is giving away 2 copies of the audiobook The Wolves of Andover. Deadline is January 31. US/Canada only.
Lauren Oliver is giving away 5 signed copies of Delirium, along with 5 book thongs! Deadline is January 31.
Bookish in a Box is having a big 1st blogoversary giveaway! Deadline is January 31. US only.
Sparkling Reviews is giving a color Nook! Deadline is whenever 1100 followers is reached. International!
Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf is giving away a gently used ARC of Wither. Deadline isn't mentioned, nor whether or not it's international.
Bookaliciou.us is having a huge two year blogging anniversary giveaway! I can't see a deadline posted, and I'm not positive whether or not it is international
*Courtesy Note:Please keep in mind the many, many hours of work that goes into me compiling this list each week. Please be courteous and thoughtful, and do not steal my text. Either recreate your own list, or link to this list and direct your readers here for giveaway information. Thank you so much for your consideration.
An incredible publishing story—written over the course of thirty years by a highly decorated Vietnam veteran, a New York Times best seller for sixteen weeks, a National Indie Next and a USA Today best seller—Matterhorn has been hailed as a “brilliant account of war” (New York Times Book Review). Now out in paperback, Matterhorn is an epic war novel in the tradition of Norman Mailer’s The Naked and the Dead and James Jones’s The Thin Red Line. It is the timeless story of a young Marine lieutenant, Waino Mellas, and his comrades in Bravo Company, who are dropped into the mountain jungle of Vietnam as boys and forced to fight their way into manhood. Standing in their way are not merely the North Vietnamese but also monsoon rain and mud, leeches and tigers, disease and malnutrition. Almost as daunting, it turns out, are the obstacles they discover between each other: racial tension, competing ambitions, and duplicitous superior officers. But when the company finds itself surrounded and outnumbered by a massive enemy regiment, the Marines are thrust into the raw and all-consuming terror of combat. The experience will change them forever.
Matterhorn is a visceral and spellbinding novel about what it is like to be a young man at war. It is an unforgettable novel that transforms the tragedy of Vietnam into a powerful and universal story of courage, camaraderie, and sacrifice: a parable not only of the war in Vietnam but of all war, and a testament to the redemptive power of literature.
I was a last-minute signup, as I didn’t want to pressure my husband into participating in my blogging world. So I was simply amazed and touched when he gave me this post…
“How to best describe my wife? The adorable ball of energy or the cutest Energizer bunny ever! Diane is a marvel to me. The attribute that I've always admired in my wife is her dedication to a goal. I had no doubt when she began writing "The Circle of Friends" that she would make it happen. And it's been fun watching her mature as a writer along the way. There have been many hurdles along the way, but Diane handled them like an Olympic track star. I can honestly say that quitting was never an option. Diane takes hard work to levels I never thought possible. I wish I had half that focused drive and determination that she possesses. A bright, shining star and the love of my life, I will always be her biggest fan!”
BESTSELLING AUTHOR MARY BURTON FOLLOWS HER SUCCESSFUL “COMPELLING THRILLER,” DYING SCREAM WITH BACK-TO-BACK SUSPENSE IN SENSELESS, ON SALE IN JANUARY AND MERCILESS, ON SALE IN FEBRUARY.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Mary Burton kept the murder rate soaring in her hometown of Richmond, Virginia for three years as each of her recent highly praised suspense novels was published. Now, it’s Alexandria’s turn. Burton raises the city’s 2011 homicide statistics by six before the groundhog even thinks about seeing a shadow, when SENSELESS and MERCILESS are published back-to-back in January and February.
The people of Mary’s Alexandria, Virginia Homicide Unit, including Detectives Deacon Garrison and Malcolm Kier, are just one of the connections between her stories. Protagonists Eva Rayburn, a convicted felon, and her half-sister Angie Carlson, a high-profile, high-priced criminal attorney, are part of both stories, as is King’s, a no-nonsense neighborhood bar, and Alexandria’s unique mixture of history, prosperity and poverty. As always, Burton’s careful use of forensic detail is evident in each book, a result of her commitment to remain current with science and law enforcement evidence collection procedures.
In SENSELESS, Eva Rayburn has cobbled together a living of sorts as a part-time waitress and bartender, process server, and night attendant at Hannah’s House, a homeless shelter. It is the latter that brings her to the attention of homicide detective Deacon Garrison when a fire destroys the shelter. Though everyone escapes the fire, the body of a woman who has been tortured and murdered is discovered in the yard. She has been branded. Fourpointed stars encircle her navel. That’s what brings crime journalist Connor Donovan into the picture. An anonymous tip alerts him to the branding and the fire. Both are hallmarks of the Sorority House Murder, the case he covered a decade ago that put him on the journalistic map.
The Sorority House Murder and the subsequent fire ended Eva’s life as she knew it. Josiah Cross had raped her, and she remembered struggling, but after that had no clear memory of what happened. Eva, portrayed as a heart-sick scholarship student who became enraged when her rich boyfriend broke up with her, was charged, convicted, and sentenced to ten years in prison. The single star burned into her shoulder is a memento of those lost hours. Thanks to Connor, Eva is back in the media spotlight, her life an open book. Meanwhile, Garrison is certain she has something to do with murder at the shelter.
As the killer’s confidence grows, another death occurs. Garrison wants answers. He’s determined to find the connection the victims share with a dead rich-kid-rapist and the girl convicted of killing him. Eva wants answers, too. She wants to remember every second of that fateful day. It’s been ten years and now—finally—she’s ready to fight for herself—even if it means dying.
Burton ratchets up the suspense yet again in MERCILESS in which Detective Malcolm Kier and Angie Carlson come up against a brutal,brilliant psychopath who leaves behind the gleaming white and perfectly preserved bones of his victims. Kier—and most of Alexandria law enforcement—believes the murderer is Dr. James Dixon. They blame Angie Carlson for setting him free when she defended him at an earlier murder trial during which he was acquitted. Today, Angie’s not at all sure of Dixon’s innocence and is becoming more and more convinced that the police may be right—she helped let loose a killer. As lead after lead dead-ends a young man claiming to be Eva Rayburn’s half-brother shows up, bringing with him their dead father’s diary. Suddenly, two things are shockingly clear—the killer has always intended to make Angie his ultimate victim, and his madness has roots going back to the Sorority House Murder over a decade ago.
In SENSELESS and MERCILESS, Mary Burton once again brings readers stories enhanced by inexplicable crimes, complex relationships and the strong sense of place they’ve come to expect and applaud, even as they are kept guessing as to whom among her suspects may be guilty and why.
About the Author
MARY BURTON’s southern family has always enjoyed tall tales and a good yarns. Early on, MB realized that Story had tremendous power to inspire strong responses such fear, laughter, love and even sorrow. It didn’t matter if the tale was found in the pages of a book, spoken in hushed tones around a Girl Scout campfire, or spouted at an old fashioned southern family reunion. This appreciation of story motivated MB to earn an English degree from Virginia’s Hollins University. After decade of working in marketing and sales, MB became convinced she could write and sell one of the many stories buzzing around her brain. Fingers crossed, MB left the marketing profession and devoted all her spare time to writing a novel. Soon after, she sold her first manuscript to Harlequin Historicals. Since that initial sale, MB had written twelve historical romances for Harlequin Historicals, four short romantic suspenses for Silhouette Romantic Suspense and a non-fiction book The Insider’s Guide to Direct Marketing. Her first single title romantic suspense for Zebra I’m Watching You was a December 2007 release.
In 2005, The Unexpected Wife was a finalist Romance Writers of America’s RITA contest and Wise Moves was 2006 nominee for the Romantic Times’ Critics Choice Award. I’m Watching You received critical acclaim from New York Times Best Selling author Carla Neggers who said, “Taut, compelling and emotional, I’m Watching You is romantic suspense at its most riveting. Mary Burton delivers a page-turner.”
MB resides in Virginia where she enjoys yoga, cooking, hiking and the occasional triathlon.
MARY BURTON TALKS ABOUT HER NEW BOOKS, HER NEW
HOMICIDE DIVISION, AND WHY SHE LEFT HOME
TO START KILLING PEOPLE IN ALEXANDRIA…
First of all…
In your new books, SENSELESS (January) and MERCILESS (February), you’ve left behind the characters and the Richmond setting of your last three novels. Why? And why Alexandria?
I lived in Alexandria for several years and fell in love with the place. It is not only very rich with history but it’s in the heart of the bustling DC metro area and the perfect setting for a little murder and mayhem.
What challenges did you face in creating a new team of detectives?
The new team was much like meeting strangers. I knew a little of Detective Malcolm Kier (I’M WATCHING YOU) but detectives Deacon Garrison, Jennifer Sinclair and Daniel Rokov were all blank slates. The best way for me to get to know them was to throw them into tense scenes and see how they react.
Family seems to play a strong role in the relationships between your characters from book to book—especially the bond between sisters, such as that between Eva and Angie. Is this true? And, if so, what pulls you to explore those bonds in so many different ways?
Family can be your best ally and your greatest burden. Families, especially sisters, can be complicated and complications means conflict and conflict means a page-turner of a story.
What difficulties do you face integrating strong relationship subplots alongside the hard edged suspense writing you’ve become known for?
I long ago learned that despite the difficulties of family you still have to get up each day and go to work. Family conflicts only add to the job tensions. And I do work to balance the family/relationship moments of suspense. You need both to make a romantic suspense and it’s finding the right mix that is the trick.
You’re extensive research of law enforcement and forensic procedures includes course work with the Henrico County Citizens Police Academy, the Richmond FBI Citizens’ Academy and the Writers Police Academy in Jamestown, North Carolina. Has that made you a better writer? Does trying to stay grounded in fact make it harder to let you imagination soar?
Staying grounded in fact forces me to solve problems as a real policeman might. I know sometimes the truth must be stretched a little for the sake of story but I do my best to solve the crimes with good detective work vs fancy DNA tests or high tech forensic equipment.
You’ve said that your fascination with law enforcement, especially those who hunt serial killers, began during the twenty years that three different multiple killers—the Southside Strangler, D.C Sniper and Hampton Roads Killer—stalked your home state of Virginia. How does that influence your writing and research?
I’ve never written a novel that’s straight from the headlines. But I do pay attention to many aspects of serial killer cases. I pay attention to how the media covers an event. I pay attention to what people in the community say and how they react to the case. I pay attention to the killer when he’s captured and the reasons for why he did what he did. All these details can add a human element to a story that makes it all the more interesting.
The Hampton Roads Killer didn’t fit the profile of a serial killer, which may have delayed his capture. Do you consider the characteristics profilers attribute to certain types of killers when you create your murderers?
When I’m creating a killer the first and most important question I ask myself is why does he/she kill? Is a character pure evil? Or is he simply very troubled or misguided? Or is he All of the Above? The why tells me so much about the person behind the evil deeds and it sets the tone for the whole book.
Detective Joe Horgas, the first police detective to solve a serial murder case with DNA evidence, is rightly credited for the arrest of the Southside Strangler. It’s been said that Horgas had a “personal quest to stop a serial killer.” Do you think that many in law enforcement do “make it personal?” Is that a good thing? Do any of your protagonists share that trait?
The detectives in my books do make catching a killer very personal. This passion to solve a case is what makes a character or person interesting. Often a driven person who is laser-focused can effect great change, such as catching a killer that no one else can. However, that same focus can also create problems in their personal lives. It’s only natural that if you funnel energy from one part of your life into another, the part that’s been short-changed will suffer.
I like to think that what makes a character great can also destroy him. My characters are searching for balance even knowing that only extreme drive will catch a killer. And that to me is the beginning of great conflict.
If you were able to choose any job in law enforcement, which would it be? Why? And do you think you would still write about crime?
I would go into forensics. The folks who collect data can be so critical to a case. I’ve talked to enough real forensics people to know the work can be very unglamorous and painstaking. But the work is so fascinating that I’d be willing to traipse through waist high weeds, jump in a dumpster or photograph blood splatter patterns.
Some writers have the harsh, gorier plot elements occur “off stage.” You don’t and yet you also manage to blend a strong relationship story into your romantic suspense without it seeming awkward or out of place. How do you achieve that balance?
It’s tough. It’s hard to make time for the romantic moments when the characters on the trail of a killer. But I think it’s so important to make time for the human moments. Those are the moments that readers often carry away with them. Those moments make readers care about what happens to your characters.
Real life is scary enough. Yet people gravitate to crime fiction in it’s multiple forms—books, television, and movies. Why do you think it’s so amazingly popular?
Real life is not only scary but it is also unfair at times. In real life, the bad guy isn’t always captured and victims don’t always get closure. However, crime novels and crime TV give their audiences a sense of justice and closure. The bad guy is almost always caught. I like to give my readers a glimpse into my character’s futures. These futures may not be perfect, but they are happy. My suspense stories not only offer justice but hope as well.
Your earliest books were traditional romance novels, another hugely popular genre of fiction. Do you still believe in “happily ever after?”
I sure do. And that’s why I always end on a happy note. These ending notes may not be as sweet as the romances, but there is always a sense that ‘tomorrow will be a better day.’
GIVEAWAY: Win copies of Senseless and Merciless by Mary Burton (one copy of each to a single winner)
Rules (you knew there had to be some):
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Deadline isJanuary 24, 2011 January 31, 2011 Good Luck! Ready, Set, Go!
Furnace Penitentiary: the world’s most secure prison for young offenders, buried a mile beneath the earth’s surface. Convicted of a murder he didn’t commit, sentenced to life without parole, “new fish” Alex Sawyer knows he has two choices: find a way out, or resign himself to a death behind bars, in the darkness at the bottom of the world. Except in Furnace, death is the least of his worries. Soon Alex discovers that the prison is a place of pure evil, where inhuman creatures in gas masks stalk the corridors at night, where giants in black suits drag screaming inmates into the shadows, where deformed beasts can be heard howling from the blood-drenched tunnels below. And behind everything is the mysterious, all-powerful warden, a man as cruel and dangerous as the devil himself, whose unthinkable acts have consequences that stretch far beyond the walls of the prison.
Together with a bunch of inmates—some innocent kids who have been framed, others cold-blooded killers—Alex plans an escape. But as he starts to uncover the truth about Furnace’s deeper, darker purpose, Alex’s actions grow ever more dangerous, and he must risk everything to expose this nightmare that’s hidden from the eyes of the world.
Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything-- including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?
Thanks to Reading Teen and Reading Extravaganza for the books!
