REVIEW: The Warmest December by Bernice L. McFadden

Synopsis

The Warmest December is the incredibly moving story of one Brooklyn family and the alcoholism that determined years of their lives. Narrated by Kenzie Lowe, a young woman reminiscent of Jamaica Kincaid's Annie John, as she visits her dying father and finds that choices she once thought beyond her control are very much hers to make.

Paperback, 288 pages
Published January 31st 2012 by Akashic Books (first published January 1st 2001)
ISBN 1617750352 (ISBN13: 9781617750359)


About the Author
from her website

Bernice L. McFadden was born, raised and currently lives in Brooklyn, New York. She is the eldest of four children and the mother of one daughter, R'yane Azsa. Ms. McFadden attended grade school at P.S. 161 in Brooklyn and Middle School at Holy Spirit, also in Brooklyn. She attended high school at St. Cyril Academy; an all-girls boarding school in Danville, Pa.

In the Fall of 1983 she enrolled in the noted NYC fashion college: Laboratory Institute of Merchandising, with dreams of becoming an international clothing buyer.

She attended LIM for two semesters and then took a position at Bloomingdale's and later with Itokin, a Japanese owned retail company.

Disillusioned and frustrated with her job, she signed up for a Travel & Tourism course at Marymount College where she received a certificate of completion. After the birth of her daughter in 1988, Bernice McFadden obtained a job with RockResorts a company then owned by the Rockefeller family.

The company was later sold and Ms. McFadden was laid off and unemployed for one year. She sites that year as the turning point in her life because during those twelve months Ms. McFadden began to dedicate herself to the art of writing. During the next nine years she held three jobs, always looking for something exciting and satisfying. Forever frustrated with corporate America and the requirements they put on their employees, Ms. McFadden enrolled at Fordham University. Her intention was to obtain a degree that would enable her to move up another rung on the corporate ladder.

She signed up for courses that concentrated on Afro-American history and literature, as well as creative writing, poetry and journalism. She credits the two years spent under the guidance of her professors as well as the years spent lost in the words of her favorite authors, to the caliber of writer she has become.

In 1997, Ms. McFadden quit her job and dedicated seven months to re-writing the novel that would become, "SUGAR."

In February of 1999, after nearly ten years, four drafts and 73 rejection letters - SUGAR was finally acquired by Dutton Publishers.

Published in the winter of 2000, SUGAR is still in print and in 2010 celebrated its tenth anniversary.

Bernice L. McFadden also writes racy, humorous fiction under the pseudonym, Geneva Holliday.

Check out the author's website
Follow the author on Facebook
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Join the author's mailing list


My Thoughts

Kenzie spent her childhood in a war zone fueled by alcohol. Raised by an abusive father and a mother who gave up long ago, she and her brother Malcolm just tried to survive their childhood.

This is one of those books that begins at the end, and then is filled with flashbacks. It is a daughter, all grown up now, sitting by the bedside of her dying father, coming to terms with their past. Struggling with her own demons, she is forced to face the fact that her father had demons of his own, and to try to learn forgiveness.

This book had some very intense moments, and it is disheartening to think that there are so many children out there suffering through the same things that Kenzie suffers through in her story. This is a glimpse into a dark world that I was lucky enough to have been shielded from in my childhood, having been raised by a mother who always put her children first.

Bernice McFadden is very adept at drawing you into this desolate world-- one which you get the feeling she is all too familiar with herself.

My final word: Author Bernice McFadden does what she does well. Most of this book was a quiet, meandering walk through a sad and desolate landscape, with glimpses of beauty and islands of oasis amidst the misery. The final brief chapter of this book was beautiful and heart-wrenching, and had me in tears. If you are interested in experiencing the bleak lives of children growing up in households of abuse and alcoholism, told with effective writing and character development, and leaving you with a sense of hope, pick up this book!

Buy Now:

Barnes and Noble
Amazon


My Rating:

 

Disclosure:

I received a copy of this book to review through the LibraryThing's Early Reviewers in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not financially compensated in any way, and the opinions expressed are my own and based on my observations while reading this novel.

GUEST POST: Cindy Roesel, author of Viewer Discretion Advised

Today I'd like to welcome author Cindy Roesel by my blog. Cindy is the author of Viewer Discretion Advised, which I will be reviewing in the future. Today Cindy lets you in on a couple of her less-than-sterling moments...

Thank you HEATHER for inviting me and my novel, VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED to be a guest on your blog, CEREBRAL GIRL IN A REDNECK WORLD. This is my first published novel and it’s a very exciting time.

When you told me that I could visit, I was overwhelmed by the gift. There are many talented writers, so I really appreciate you focusing on me and VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED. Here’s a memory I want to share with you and your followers.

It’s something I remember as if it were yesterday, even though it was many years ago. In fact, I was still in middle school. A person publicly let me and everyone around us know that I had incorrectly used the words good and well. He made it his duty to make the entire school aware. It wasn’t good enough to correct me during gym class or even as I passed through the halls. It felt like he turned on the emergency broadcast system to inform the entire world that Cindy Roesel was clueless with the distinct differences between good and well. I ended up feeling quite stupid. I’m sure, that was his intention. I will never forget it, as I’m sure you can tell by my writing this now as an adult. I bet we’ve all had these moments, but I’m sharing mine with all of you to let you know what partially motivates my writing. I now know how to use the words good and well correctly.

I was the first one in my family to attend college and ultimately graduate with my Bachelor of Arts degree. From there I went into the television broadcast news Industry, becoming an anchor/reporter/producer eventually winning an Emmy Award. Before the Emmy, came my unspeakable act of using the word burst in the worst way possible. I would have a lovely blonde anchorwoman in Las Vegas rip a piece of script paper out of the teleprompter and screech so loudly every person from the Vegas strip to Los Angeles could hear, “There is no such word as bursted,” while my insides liquefied! Thank God I would be fired and put out of my misery several days later. Trust me I now know things burst on this earth as we know it!

Why did I take you down memory lane? What is the point of these stories? These are some of the reasons why I write and study and strive to do well: to do good work. I’m constantly reading other writer’s work, and writing reviews of other author’s novels. Those things keep me fresh while working on my own writing. Sure I make mistakes, but they are the exceptions. I’m vigilant and constantly on the lookout for the next potential good-well mistake or bursted disaster. One can only try to do their best, yet you can never become complacent. We don’t always have the luxury of having an editor. I can tell you where the word “of” is missing in my novel and I want to scream, but I had to let it go. I’m going to be more careful the next time around.

Writing and having VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED published was a dream come true. Writing is a hard job. Don’t be fooled. If you want to do anything else except write, I suggest you do it, because getting yourself to sit in the chair isn’t easy, but it’ll be the most gratifying thing you ever do. I’m completely humbled by the process.

If you want to write, I encourage you to move into your favorite chair with your pen and paper and just begin. Or create a happy place with room for your desktop and space for your special coffee cup, which you will be refilling a lot. It’s going to be the best experience of your life. Trust me.

I along with every writer am grateful for people like Heather and blogs like CEREBRAL GIRL IN A REDNECK WORLD who support and love writers and authors with their time and promotion! It’s such a blessing to be able to come on your blog and tell you about VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED and why I work. Thank you so much, Heather and to your bloggers, I appreciate all of you! Feel free to contact me at www.cindyroesel.blogspot.com or www.cindyroesel.com.

Thanks for stopping by Cindy! I look forward to reading your book in the upcoming weeks. Learn more about Cindy's book Viewer Discretion Advised.

Wal-Mart Pulls Kindles and Friday Inspirational Photo

From ZDNet:

“Late last week Wal-Mart announced that it will no longer sell the Amazon Kindle and Kinde Fire in its stores, joining Target in rejecting the devices. While the argument could be made that the razor-thin margins on those products contributed to that decision, the real reason is clearer: Amazon's tablets are a gateway to easy ordering from Amazon.com, which means fewer sales for Target and Wal-Mart.”

Wal-Mart still sells other tablets, including the iPad. Amazon is considering opening mini-shops to compete with Apple’s chain of stores and smaller shops, giving buyers the opportunity to check out a Kindle in person.

Think it’s a smart move for Wal-Mart? Think other companies are now leery of Amazon’s growing power?

And your inspirational photo of the day:

A toasty fire to keep you warm...

Book Signings - Beyond the Bookstore

Where else can authors do book signings? From my upcoming book, How to Publish and Promote Your Book Now:

Upon hearing the words “book signing,” most people think of a bookstore. And in the past, bookstores were great places for authors to meet readers and fans.

The decline of the bookstore and the emergence of e-books has changed that aspect. Fewer stores mean fewer opportunities for signings. Many people have converted to e-books, and while there are ways to autograph e-books, they're difficult to sell in the store. (Although it's not impossible, as signings at a Barnes and Noble can involve Nook sales.) The ease of self-publishing means there are more authors, too. Meeting a real live author in person just isn't a novelty anymore.

However, there are those who still treasure an autographed book. And since fostering relationships is important, personal appearances can still spur sales.

With bookstores on the decline, where else can you do a signing? The possibilities are endless! Depending on the subject matter of your book, consider these venues:

·         Gift stores

·         Specialty stores

·         Coffee shops

·         Arts and crafts fairs

·         Festivals

·         Farmers markets

·         Fundraisers

·         Political conventions

·         Trade shows

·         Museums

·         Parks

·         School and college events

·         Cruise ships

Can you use your creativity to think of other opportunities?

And my apologies to Kyra Lennon for the late posting of her upcoming book, If I Let You Go, a NA Romance coming out October 22, 2012:

ARTICLE SHARING: Author Lawrence Norfolk shares his top 10 food books of the 17th century

John Saturnall's Feast, written by Lawrence Norfolk, is one of my favorite books of 2012. And here the author lists his Top 10 Seventeenth Century Food Books. Full of recipes for things like "collops of bacon with eggs", "delicate cat tongue biscuits", "sallets" (salads), and "A Smoothening Quiddany of Quinces", I could read about this stuff over and over!

Returning Ebooks and Friday Photo

In the real world, a physical book can be returned if not read. Should ebook returns be allowed?

Ebooks cost much less than physical books, often between $2.99 - $6.99, so the investment isn't huge. Before purchasing an ebook, the buyer is also allowed to read a sample - often several chapters. The buyer knows what he or she is getting before spending money.

And yet ebook returns happen.

Other electronic downloads are not refundable, such as movies and music. This is to prevent someone from downloading an album or movie, copying it, and then returning the original file. 

But an ebook could also be copied and returned. A buyer could also read an entire book and return it.

My question to you, as authors and readers - should ebook returns be allowed?

And now, your Friday photo as we welcome the first day of autumn...

REVIEW: On the Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves

Synopsis

When thirty-year-old English teacher Anna Emerson is offered a job tutoring T.J. Callahan at his family's summer rental in the Maldives, she accepts without hesitation; a working vacation on a tropical island trumps the library any day.

T.J. Callahan has no desire to leave town, not that anyone asked him. He's almost seventeen and if having cancer wasn't bad enough, now he has to spend his first summer in remission with his family - and a stack of overdue assignments - instead of his friends.

Anna and T.J. are en route to join T.J.'s family in the Maldives when the pilot of their seaplane suffers a fatal heart attack and crash-lands in the Indian Ocean. Adrift in shark-infested waters, their life jackets keep them afloat until they make it to the shore of an uninhabited island. Now Anna and T.J. just want to survive and they must work together to obtain water, food, fire, and shelter. Their basic needs might be met but as the days turn to weeks, and then months, the castaways encounter plenty of other obstacles, including violent tropical storms, the many dangers lurking in the sea, and the possibility that T.J.'s cancer could return. As T.J. celebrates yet another birthday on the island, Anna begins to wonder if the biggest challenge of all might be living with a boy who is gradually becoming a man.


About the Author
from Goodreads

Tracey Garvis-Graves is the author of On the Island and Covet. She lives in a suburb of Des Moines, Iowa with her husband, two children, and hyper dog Chloe. She blogs at www.traceygarvisgraves.com using colorful language and a snarky sense of humor to write about pop culture, silly television shows, and her suburban neighborhood. You can e-mail her at traceygarvisgraves@yahoo.com. She’d love to hear from you. 


My Thoughts

Anna accepts a job as a tutor for 17-year-old TJ, who battled cancer and is in remission. On the way to the Maldives, their plane goes down somewhere in the ocean and they wash up on a deserted island. As they struggle to survive, they grow together and fall in love.

This book had its moments. Sometimes interesting, sometimes predictable, often contrived, it was at least able to hold my attention. There were some pretty ridiculous aspects. For example, Anna packed enough soap and shampoo to last the summer when flying to Maldives, and yet 2 1/2 years after being stranded on the island, they still had shampoo and soap for bathing.

The writing was a bit simple-- it wasn't descriptive, it wasn't beautifully lyrical. In fact, it reminded me of my own writing when I attempt to write fiction, and I always feel that my writing falls so short. There wasn't much of an attempt to really bring you into the story and make you feel like you were there. It was just "he said this, and she said this, and the wind blew and it was hot, and they were hungry and sad and lonely". It was very straight-forward and simple writing.

And I just didn't get some things. For instance, after they fell in love, Anna kept worrying about what would happen if they got off the island? What would people say? She believed there would be repercussions for "her actions", even thought TJ was an adult. I just didn't get why she was so stressed over this. Their relationship was unorthodox, but it wasn't as if she were a pedophile taking advantage of a 12-year-old. And surely people would understand that they had been stranded on an island together, never knowing whether one or both of them may die.

I think I actually enjoyed the last half of this book, as it seemed more believable, if not the more exciting half. And this was a bit of a disappointment, as it was the first half that I was really looking forward to experiencing.

Considering the author chose to self-publish this novel, you've gotta give her credit. She has had the best success I've seen thus far from a self-published author! Her book has been well received and is showing up on actual bookstore shelves and has become a bestseller. That's impressive!

My final word: This was an "okay" book. I was left with the same feeling I usually have after reading most romance novels. As if it were a bit of fluff and little substance, although the last half of the book is more substantial. Read this one when you are looking for a little fluff. 

Buy Now:

Barnes and Noble
Amazon

My Rating: 






Disclosure:

I received a copy of this book to review Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not financially compensated in any way, and the opinions expressed are my own and based on my observations while reading this novel.

Genre Favorites Blogfest

Today is Alex J. Cavanaugh’s Genre Favorites Blogfest. Favorite genre of movie, music, book, and guilty pleasure from one of the three.

Movie -

After looking over a list of my favorite movies, it suddenly dawned on me - animated films dominate that list. I love movies such as Emperor’s New Groove, Ice Age, Madagascar, Over the Hedge, Ratatouille, and Despicable Me. They just have a good heart and story. Doesn’t matter the type of animation, as I’m a big fan of Wallace & Gromit. (I own a stuffed Wallace & Gromit, too. I’m a big fan of stuffed toys, too!)

Music -

I listen to everything from heavy metal to new age, so I decided I would just settle in the middle with ‘rock.’ Favorite bands include Def Leppard, Pink Floyd, Chevelle, Arena, ELO, and Ayreon.

Books -

I’ve read a variety over the years. I enjoyed anything with an animal in it. I loved the Narnia books and Anne McCaffrey’s work. If I go with my more recent reads, my genre of choice is self-help. This encompasses anything to do with relationships, success, personalities, leadership, people skills, motivation, goal-setting, and inspirations. I’ve read hundreds but always manage to pick up a new nugget.

No surprise that I wrote a success book, is there?


Guilty Pleasure -

I love animals. So much I don’t eat them. For a guilty pleasure genre, I’ll have to go with animal movies. They suck me right in and yes, I cry like a sap when something bad happens. (Which is why my husband won’t let me watch one of my favorites, Born Free, because I cry through the whole thing.)

Those are my genre favorites - what are yours?

Industry News - In Store Printing, Smartphones and Publishers, Self-publishing - and Friday Inspirational Photos

Some interesting news in the publishing industry-

Several companies have joined together for in-store book printing:

From Book Business:

“Eastman Kodak, On Demand Books, and ReaderLink announced they have partnered to revolutionize the way all types of printed books will be marketed, sold and produced at point of sale. The venture brings On Demand Books’ Espresso Book Machine to national retailers integrated with Kodak Picture Kiosks, giving consumers a full-service, digital-to-print media center for all their custom print needs—from photo books, custom/local self-published titles, to educational supplements, and more.”


Now that half of the US owns smartphones, is it opening the way for publishers?

From Digital Book World:

“According to a new study, 45% of all U.S. adults now own a smartphone, about double the proportion that own dedicated e-readers or tablet computers, currently making smartphones the most common mobile e-reading devices.”

“With fewer e-book buyers gravitating toward dedicated e-readers as their reading device of choice, tablets, smartphones and other e-reading venues will become more important for publishers to pay attention to.”


Penguin Group recently purchased Author Solutions Inc., whose revenue last year was $100 million. While self-publishing is on the rise, those authors still face great challenges.

From The Atlantic:

“By adding Author Solutions, with revenues last year said to be about $100 million, to such pedigreed Penguin names as Viking, Penguin Classics, Putnam, and Dutton, the concept of self-publishing has moved away from what was always known as "vanity publishing." While these authors are still mainly paying to see their works turned into finished print or e-books, they are no longer consigned just to the margins of the marketplace.”

“A thorough assessment of self-publishing by Alan Finder in the New York Times recently observed these benefits: "Digital publishing and print on demand have significantly reduced the cost of producing a book. ... Writers who self-publish are more likely to be able to control the rights to their books, set their books' sale price and keep a larger proportion of the sales." But he added this unassailable qualification: "Most self-published books sell fewer than 100 or 150 copies, many authors and self-publishing company executives say."’

What do you think of today’s news?

And your Friday inspirational photos:

Boing!

One Drop...

Pitching to the Media

Here’s an excerpt from my upcoming book, How to Publish and Promote Your Book Now!

What is the media seeking? Let's begin with what the media doesn't seek:

“I'm an author and this is my new book.”

Here's a tip – the media doesn't care. You are just one of thousands of authors who have released a book today. Big deal! Even if the program focuses on authors or it’s your local newspaper or TV broadcast, you've got to come up with a more compelling reason for them to interview you.

Here's what the media is looking for – experts. They want expert advice and information for their audience. Remember, you researched and wrote a book. You are an expert in one or more areas. The media wants to talk to you about those subjects, not about your book.

So how do you pitch yourself to the media? What's your approach? Here are some suggested angles:

Educate the audience on a hot topic.
Expose vital new information.
Provide expert advice by tying in with a current event.
Show people how to solve their problems.
Show people how to be healthier, younger, or sexier.
Show people how to make or save money.
Tie in with political or charitable organizations.
If applicable, provide any of the above with a dose of entertainment.

The media is looking for ways to educate their audience. You give them what they want, focus on the topic, and you will be rewarded with an opportunity to mention your book. If it's obvious promoting your book is your only agenda, the media will look elsewhere.

Spunky the cat is not impressed with your media pitch...

SHARING: One Shade of Gray

REVIEW (Book Club Read): The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Synopsis

The Victorian language of flowers was used to convey romantic expressions: honeysuckle for devotion, asters for patience, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it’s been more useful in communicating mistrust and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster-care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings. Now eighteen and emancipated from the system with nowhere to go, Victoria realizes she has a gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But an unexpected encounter with a mysterious stranger has her questioning what’s been missing in her life. And when she’s forced to confront a painful secret from her past, she must decide whether it’s worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness.

Paperback, 308 pages
Published April 3rd 2012 by Ballantine Books (first published January 1st 2011)
ISBN 0345525558 (ISBN13: 9780345525550)

About the Author

Vanessa Diffenbaugh was born in San Francisco and raised in Chico, California. After studying creative writing and education at Stanford, she went on to teach art and writing to youth in low-income communities. She and her husband, PK, have three children: Tre’von, eighteen; Chela, four; and Miles, three. Tre’von, a former foster child, is attending New York University on a Gates Millennium Scholarship. Diffenbaugh and her family currently live in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where her husband is studying urban school reform at Harvard.

Vanessa Diffenbaugh is also the founder of the Camellia Network. The mission of the Camellia Network is to create a nationwide movement to support youth transitioning from foster care. In The Language of Flowers, Camellia [kuh-meel-yuh] means “My Destiny is in Your Hands.” The network’s name emphasizes the belief in the interconnectedness of humanity: each gift a young person receives will be accompanied by a camellia, a reminder that the destiny of our nation lies in the hands of our youngest citizens. For more information visit www.camellianetwork.org.

Follow the author on Facebook
Follow Vanessa on Twitter @VDiffenbaugh

My Thoughts

Victoria has struggled with life. Given up at birth, she has been tossed from home to home, never finding a family. Now aging out of the system at eighteen, it is time to make life her own and do with it as she please. She is lucky enough to have a few very important people enter life (Renata gives her a job, and Grant gives her his heart), and instead of following a traditional path, she creates a new one of her own. 

The title of this book comes from Victoria's love for what flowers have to say to those that can hear them. Back in Victorian times, people would use flowers to send secret messages. Lovers would use them to communicate love and passion, or the desire to meet. People would use flowers to express grief and joy. The aptly-named Victoria understands their language and speaks it fluently. She can bring people's deepest desires to light through the use of flowers.

Victoria is damaged by her tragic childhood, and this has left her with a detachment disorder that doesn't permit her to connect with people. But she can speak to them through flowers.

I loved this story. Some aspects were a little far-fetched, such as the fact that a baby girl in the system would not have been adopted in a flash, and would instead spend her life in foster care, given up over and over again. But it was sweet and touching, Victoria was just quirky enough (I love quirky characters!), and I really loved the language of the flowers. My favorite moments in the book were the ones where Victoria and Grant debate the meanings of the flowers, when there is more than one documented meaning. Fascinating!

My final word: Delightful! That's it. Just "delightful"!

Purchase The Language of Flowers:

Barnes and Noble
Amazon
Ballantine Books


My Rating:

When do Promotions Begin?

Book promotion is a marathon, not a sprint. But there are certain things that need to happen before the book’s release. Too often self-published authors rush their books to the market, leaving no time for early marketing. Officially promotions begin with the first word and filling a need. But once the book is into production, you need to give yourself time to properly promote it. Build up your audience! Give your book the best chance possible.

Here’s a pre-release checklist:

4-8 months
Book should be completing the editing phase and/or entering production at this point
Compose book synopsis
Prepare cover art
Select book reviewers
Set release date

3-5 months
Review copies prepared
Prepare sell sheet and review copy material
Star contacting reviewers
Debut the cover art
Book trailer in production
3-4 months
Review copies out to reviewers
Goodreads giveaways
Schedule virtual book tour
Gather media contacts
Debut book trailer

1-2 months
Gather reviews and follow-up on others
Final copy of book approved and reviews added
Promo materials printed (bookmarks, postcards, etc.)
Press release prepared
Schedule physical appearances & media interviews

1 month or less
Prepare Ebook
Promo materials to bookstores and libraries
All virtual tour posts and interviews completed
Announcement of tour and release
Information to online book sellers and genre websites
Press release ready to send

Much of this depends on your budget and book’s medium. And it doesn’t even begin to cover all of the aspects, which also include building an online platform long before the release date. But it outlines the basics and gives you a place to start.You worked hard on that book - do everything you can to ensure its success.

If you live in North Carolina, I offer seminars on book promotion, and my book, How to Publish and Promote Your Book Now, will be out early next year. Or just leave me a comment with your question!

Now, your Friday photo…

The dancing lights at Enchanted Forest, just outside of Salem, OR.

The Insecure Writer's Support Group

It’s time for another edition of The Insecure Writer’s Support Group, hosted by Ninja Captain, Alex J. Cavanaugh.

I decided to offer some encouragement and words of inspiration for you today.

So much of our success is decided by our attitude. As I stated in my book Overcoming Obstacles with SPUNK: “A positive attitude seeks to move forward while a negative attitude refuses to budge…” Our attitude affects everything, from the goals we set to our willingness to risk failure.

No matter what you are facing, you can succeed with the right attitude!

“It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.”
- Theodore Roosevelt

“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.”
- Thomas Jefferson

“One who fears failure limits his activities. Failure is only the opportunity to more intelligently begin again.”
Henry Ford

“Failures do what is tension relieving, while winners do what is goal achieving.”
- Dennis Waitley

“It is not enough to take steps which may some day lead to a goal; each step must be itself a goal and a step likewise.”
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“In absence of clearly defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily acts of trivia.”
- Author Unknown

“The greatest mistake you can make in life is to continually be afraid you will make one.”
- Elbert Hubbard

REVIEW: One Second After by William R. Forstchen

Synopsis

New York Times best selling author William R. Forstchen now brings us a story which can be all too terrifyingly real...a story in which one man struggles to save his family and his small North Carolina town after America loses a war, in one second, a war that will send America back to the Dark Ages...A war based upon a weapon, an Electro Magnetic Pulse (EMP).  A weapon that may already be in the hands of our enemies.

Months before publication, One Second After has already been cited on the floor of Congress as a book all Americans should read, a book already being discussed in the corridors of the Pentagon as a truly realistic look at a weapon and its awesome power to destroy the entire United States, literally within one second. It is a weapon that the Wall Street Journal warns could shatter America. In the tradition of On the Beach, Fail Safe and Testament, this book, set in a typical American town, is a dire warning of what might be our future...and our end.

Hardcover, 352 pages
Published March 17th 2009 by Tom Doherty Associates
ISBN 0765317583 (ISBN13: 9780765317582)

About the Author

from Goodreads

William R. Forstchen (born 1950) is an American author who began publishing in 1983 with the novel Ice Prophet. He is a Professor of History and Faculty Fellow at Montreat College, in Montreat, North Carolina. He received his doctorate from Purdue University with specializations in Military History, the American Civil War and the History of Technology.

Forstchen is the author of more than forty books, including the award winning We Look Like Men of War, a young adult novel about an African-American regiment that fought at the Battle of the Crater, which is based upon his doctoral dissertation, The 28th USCTs: Indiana’s African-Americans go to War, 1863-1865 and the "Lost Regiment" series which has been optioned by both Tom Cruise and M. Night Shyamalan.

Forstchen’s writing efforts have, in recent years, shifted towards historical fiction and non fiction. In 2002 he started the “Gettysburg” trilogy with Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich; the trilogy consists of Gettysburg: A Novel of the Civil War, Grant Comes East, and Never Call Retreat: Lee and Grant - The Final Victory. More recently, they have have published two works on the events leading up to Pearl Harbor and immediately after that attack Pearl Harbor, and Days of Infamy.

In March 2009, Forstchen’s latest work, One Second After, (Forge/St. Martin’s books) was released. Based upon several years of intensive research and interviews, it examines what might happen in a “typical” American town in the wake of an attack on the United States with “electro-magnetic pulse” (EMP) weapons. Similar in plotting to books such as On the Beach and Alas Babylon, One Second After, is set in a small college town in western North Carolina and is a cautionary tale of the collapse of social order in the wake of an EMP strike. The book has been optioned by Warner Bros. and currently is in development as a feature film. The book was cited on the floor of Congress and before the House Armed Services Committee by Congressman Roscoe Bartlett (R.-MD), chair of the House Committee tasked to evaluate EMP weapons, as a realistical portrayal of the potential damage rendered by an EMP attack on the continental United States.

Forstchen resides near Asheville, North Carolina with his daughter Meghan. His other interests include archaeology, and he has participated in several expeditions to Mongolia and Russia. He is a pilot and co owns an original 1943 Aeronca L-3B recon plane used in World War II.

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My Thoughts

This book follows life in a small North Carolina town after an EMP. In case you aren't familiar with the term, an EMP is an electromagnetic pulse, and there has been a lot of talk over the last few years about the threat to us from such an attack. It has been said that it could feasibly be caused by someone detonating a nuclear warhead high above the earth. Doing so could wipe out all electronics within the reach of the blast.

It's hard to comprehend the scope of destruction and the rippling effects this would have on our society. There would be no electricity, no running water, few cars (since most cars for the last 20 years have had some computerization).

Think about the medical implications. Pacemakers stop working in a split second. Without electricity,  the lack of refrigeration would cause many medications to go bad, respirators and incubators would turn off. Many thousands could die within minutes of an EMP. Many thousands more would die in the months following as medications ran out and medical treatment became unavailable.

Dysentery and food poisoning would kill many others without working plumbing and spoiling food supplies.

Martial law would take effect, with people executed on the spot for what previously may have been deemed minor offenses, but now could become life-threatening crimes against others with everyone clinging so precariously to life.

This book was a hot topic when it came out, even discussed within the walls of the Pentagon as a foreshadowing of a previously unrealized threat. With a foreword by Newt Gingrich, this book provides a very real depiction of what life would be like after an EMP, and underscores the fact that every American should be aware of and prepare for such a threat.

And the fact is that an EMP is not the only way that something like this could happen. The type of major solar flares that we are expected to see in the next year or so could also cause electrical failure, with some areas potentially down for years. They've said that if a solar flare took out a major area like New York City, it could be ten years before they could get back up and running again.

My final word: I enjoyed this story (whether or not "enjoyed" is the right word). Very realistic and timely, this book should be a wake up call to the world regarding a potential threat-- whether caused by man or nature. This story is hosted by very believable characters fighting to survive and overcome very real events. Everyone should read this book, and do what they can to prepare for any event, be it for an EMP, solar flares, hurricanes or floods. Allow this book to the be the hand on your shoulder that moves you to action. And I am happy to mention that this book is currently in development as a major motion picture! I'll be looking forward to the movie version!

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Rating: 8 out of 10