Guest Blogger: Laura Brodie

Yesterday, I reviewed THE WIDOW'S SEASON by Laura Brodie -- I absolutely loved it! I am so happy that Ms. Brodie has written a guest post especially for Booking Mama's readers. I found it especially interesting to learn more about the background for her beautiful novel.

The Literary Roots Behind The Widow’s Season

Dead husbands might not seem like a promising topic for a novel---too creepy, too morbid, too, well… weird. But in my graduate school days, when I was researching widows in English literature (think Jane Austen’s novels and Chaucer’s Wife of Bath) the husbands proved just as intriguing as their widows. In fact, I got hooked on plays from the 1600s where husbands fake their deaths in order to spy on their wives.

Moliere, Chapman, Behn, Steele (not exactly household names today) all created male characters who wanted to preview their deaths, to see how their wives would behave. Inevitably the women behaved badly, taking new lovers and preparing to hand over the family property, until their husbands stepped from the wings, saying Aha! These plays reveal a lot about men’s anxiety over money and women’s sexuality, but what I liked most was the voyeurism. It made me think of ghosts in literature who watch their widows, like the dead king in Hamlet, who is just as angry about his widow’s sex life as his own murder.

From there I started reading conduct books and educational treatises from the Renaissance forward, which told widows to imagine that their husbands were watching—kind of like Santa Claus, “he knows if you’ve been bad or good so be good for goodness sake!” Or kind of like God. Mary Wollstonecraft, who wrote the feminist classic A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, said that good widows imagine that the eyes of the husband are joined with the Eye of God in one big patriarchal gaze. Bad widows, according to Wollstonecraft, forget their husbands, neglect their children and fall prey to fortune hunters.

Then came my first attempt at writing a novel, and I knew that I wanted to use these ideas from my research. But should I create a husband who faked his death, or a ghost who watches his widow, or just a widow with a grieving mind who imagines things that aren’t there? And then I thought: why not combine all three? Why not try, for three hundred pages, to sustain the ambiguity between life and death, imagination and reality? When people are grieving, a lot of those lines get blurred anyway.

And so, over the course of many years, I wrote The Widow’s Season, a novel where the husband’s status is constantly in question. In fact, in my original draft I never answered the question. The husband just walked away at the end, and I let readers decide for themselves whether he was dead or alive all that time. I enjoy ambiguity, but lots of readers and editors don’t. My agent couldn’t sell a book that didn’t have closure. She tried for a year. The current ending is not a violation of my vision, because it shares my own understanding of what was happening with the husband. Still, I would have been fine with an open ending, because I don’t think a writer has to share everything. Sometimes the reader can use her or his own imagination.

I’m curious about what readers out there think. Do you like ambiguous endings, that don’t solve the puzzle, or do you prefer closure? I’d love to hear more people’s thoughts on that.

Review: The Widow's Season

Summary: A mesmerizing debut novel about love, grief, and the ghosts who show up where we least expect them. Sarah McConnell’s husband had been dead for three months when she saw him in the grocery store. What does a woman do when she’s thirty-nine, childless, and completely alone for the first time in her life? Does it mean she’s crazy to think she sees her late husband beside a display of pumpkins? Or is it just what people do, a natural response to grief that will fade in time? That’s what Sarah McConnell’s friends told her, that it was natural, would last a season, and then fade away. But what if there was another answer? What if he was really there? They never found the body, after all. What if he is still here somehow, and about to walk back into her life? -- Berkley

When I read the description of THE WIDOW'S SEASON by Laura Brodie, I thought it looked like an intriguing book. I really liked the premise of the story -- a recent widow suddenly starts seeing her "dead" husband appear. The question just begged to be asked -- was he real or just existing in Sarah's imagination? I have to admit that I did have a few doubts about whether the author could pull off this story, but those doubts disappeared within the first few pages of this book. I absolutely loved this story and couldn't put the book down.

First and foremost, Ms. Brodie is an amazingly gifted writer. While reading THE WIDOW'S SEASON, there were times that I was just blown away by her prose. I guess I shouldn't be all that surprised considering that THE WIDOW'S SEASON was awarded the Faulkner Society/Evans Harrington Grant for Best Novel-In-Progress. I loved Ms. Brodie's beautiful descriptions and I can't even express how much she made me "feel" when I was reading this book. The way she handled grief and loss in this story were incredibly real to me -- I swear I could feel Sarah's pain. I also really appreciated how Ms. Brodie incorporated so much symbolism in this novel. I especially loved how she juxtaposed the changing of the seasons with the changes occurring in Sarah's life -- so well done!

Another thing I found truly terrific about THE WIDOW'S SEASON was the character development. At first, I thought I didn't really have anything in common with Sarah. Unlike Sarah, I'm happily married and consider myself pretty darn content. However, as I read more of this book and discovered more about Sarah, I could totally understand her character. I found myself relating to her frustration with not being able to carry a child to term; and I even "got" how her disappointment led to so much of her discontent with her life. Sarah was an extremely real and honest character to me. I didn't always find myself agreeing with her behavior, but I did understand it. She definitely wasn't without her flaws, but I marveled at how well Ms. Brodie brought her to life.

I also really liked how the author toyed with my mind while I read this book! I found myself questioning whether Sarah's husband was really dead. I think one of the reasons (besides the beautiful writing) why I couldn't put this book down was that I had to know what was real versus what was in Sarah's imagination. I loved how I went back and forth and questioned my own impressions about reality.

Trust me on this one...THE WIDOW'S SEASON would make a fantastic book for your next book club meeting. I found this book to be very deep on so many different levels, and it just lends itself to a great discussion. There is a reading guide available with thirteen thought-provoking questions -- really, really good questions. I read through all of them and came up with my answers (to the best of my ability), but I really think this book deserves to be talked about amongst friends. There are so many universal themes in this novel including love, loss, grief, acceptance, marriage, and self-actualization. If you are looking for an extra-special meeting, Ms. Brodie is also available to call into your book club.

Thanks to the author and publisher for sending me a copy of this lovely book.

Make sure you stop by tomorrow because Ms. Brodie will be stopping by with a guest post which gives some insight into the background of her novel.

Review: The Daddy Longlegs Blues

Summary: Daddy Longlegs will have kids singing along with his bluesy song as they read this hip picture book! He’s one cool cat who scats, an eight-legged drummer keeping the beat. He moves and grooves and gets funky across the floor. And one thing’s for sure: no one’s better at getting mellow on a saxophone, and bringing rhythm and soul into every child’s home. Mike Ornstein’s catchy rhyming text is irresistibly musical, and Lisa Kopelke’s witty art features plenty of fun details and an urban, bohemian flair; her sunglasses-wearing title character seems to come straight out of the Beat generation. A glossary of blues terms, a list of instruments played by the characters, and a page of facts about daddy longlegs and blues music provides extra entertaining info. -- Sterling

THE DADDY LONGLEGS BLUES written by Mike Ornstein and illustrated by Lisa Kopelke is just too darn cute. I had a great time reading it to my son because it has a catchy rhythm, and I'm pretty sure he had a great time listening to it too. I found myself reading it with a very deep voice and almost a jazz-like tone -- the book just lends itself to this, I swear. My son thought the book was hilarious!

I just liked the overall look of this book. The illustrations are precious; and that says a lot since most of the pages have bugs and spiders on them. And I really liked the easy-to-read font and how it appeared in different sizes and different angles. There were few words per page along with bright big pictures so I think even the most active preschooler could sit through the entire story.

Another thing I really enjoyed about THE DADDY LONGLEGS BLUES is that it was actually educational. In the back of the book, the author has a glossary of blues terms -- I even learned a thing or two. In addition, there was a list of musical instruments played by Daddy Longlegs with descriptions of each one. And last but not least, there was a page devoted to explaining Daddy Longlegs spiders. Since I know almost nothing about Daddy Longlegs, I admit that I did find it rather interesting. Plus, I think all of the pages in the back even make this book useful for classroom reading and classroom instruction.

I definitely recommend THE DADDY LONGLEGS BLUES. It's hard not to love Daddy Longlegs and his bluesy beat! Thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy of the adorable book.

Author Interview: Nicole O'Dell & Giveaway

Today, I am so glad to welcome Nicole O'Dell, author of the new Scenarios series books for young girls. Yesterday I reviewed Book 1 and 2 in the series -- TRUTH OR DARE and ALL THAT GLITTERS (you can read the reviews here and here.) Both books are just filled with wonderful messages about growing up with Christian values. I am just thrilled that Ms. O'Dell has taken time out of her very busy schedule to answer a few of my questions.

Booking Mama: You are a mother of six with infant triplets! As a mother of two, I am just in awe of you. How do you manage everything? How in the world do you find time to write books?

Ms. O'Dell: It's not always easy. I'm so grateful to be able to be home with my kids, but I still need hours to work where I don't get interrupted. So, I work during nap times, after bed time and early in the morning. Sometimes I don't need much more time than that. But, when I do need more, I'm thankful for my husband's flexible work hours. We work it out so I have enough time to do what I need to do. And, when a deadline is approaching, he really steps in and takes over. Now, when the babies are two--ask me again! :)

Booking Mama: What made you decide to write Christian Fiction for Middle Graders/Young Adults?

Ms. O'Dell: I have a real passion for middle grade and early teen girls. Those are such difficult years. They kind of sneak up on poor, unsuspecting families who were clicking along just fine until they woke up with a hormonal, moody teenager in the house. I think parents can be blindsided by those changes and the girls have no idea what's happening to them. I want to offer tools to help prepare them for what they're going to face.

Booking Mama: I love the idea of the Scenario books -- a story where the reader can choose the character's actions. What made you decide to write "interactive fiction" versus a traditional story?

Ms. O'Dell: Scenarios is a game I made up to play with my kids. I give them a story (a scenario) and they choose an ending. We discuss the consequences of their choice--good or bad. It's a safe way for them to try on the possibilities and work out the results. I've been able to help them pre-determine what they'll do in certain circumstances and then I pray for them that they'll remember their commitments when reality catches up with our games. It has been such a good tool for us that I wanted to share it with others.

Booking Mama: Both of your books TRUTH OR DARE and ALL THAT GLITTERS deal with very real issues for today's tweens/teens? How do you come up with the characters and story lines for the Scenarios Books? Are they ever autobiographical or based on people you know?

Ms. O'Dell: They are all conglomerations of people and situations that I knew myself, experienced myself or personally watched someone else go through. They are all very real. Mom's and Dad's, the biggest mistake you can make is to turn a blind eye and assume that your child is "too smart to do something so stupid." Every teen will face some or all of the situations I describe in these books. Help them prepare their choices in advance.

Booking Mama: There are so many wonderful messages in these books. Is there anything in particular that you would like for young girls to take away from you novels?

Ms. O'Dell: It's so difficult to make a tough choice in the heat of the moment. It's FAR easier to just go along with the crowd unless you've prepared yourself ahead of time. Take the opportunity to prepare your heart and mind before you're actually faced with something you can't find your way out of.

Booking Mama: What's next for you as far as books/writing go? Any hints about the plots of future books?

Ms. O'Dell: The next two books, Magna and Making Waves, will be released on April 1st. They deal with issues of employee theft and discount sharing (Magna), popularity (both) and the use of performance-enhancement drugs (Making Waves). All four of the Scenarios books drive home the need to trust parents and to turn to Jesus. They all highlight the difference between a casual Christian and someone who has a passionate faith.

Booking Mama: It was apparent to me that you are definitely inspired by God when you write your books. Who or what else inspires you?

Ms. O'Dell: My children. They are passionate believers in Jesus and I want to help them preserve that while they navigate this world.

Booking Mama: I always ask this question in one way or another because I'm constantly on the look-out for book ideas. If you could recommend a few books to your readers, what would they be?

Ms. O'Dell: I love the book Deadlines, by Randy Alcorn--it's one of my personal favorites. And, if you're looking for other books for girls, check out Hind's Feet on High Places. It's a beautiful allegory about one's journey though life.
Thank you so much for your support of the series and your encouragement!

As you can probably tell, my daughter and I are both extremely excited about this new series of books for middle grade girls. Ms. O'Dell has graciously offered to giveaway a copy of each book to one lucky reader. To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment with a valid e-mail address telling me why you'd like to win these books. To double or even triple your chances, you can blog and/or tweet about this contest with a link back to this post. This contest is open until Sunday, August 16th at 11:59 p.m. EST, and I will notify the winner the following day. This giveaway is open to those of you with U.S. or Canada mailing addresses only. Good luck!

Review: Nothing But Ghosts

Summary: Ever since her mother passed away, Katie's been alone in her too-big house with her genius dad, who restores old paintings for a living. Katie takes a summer job at a garden estate, where, with the help of two brothers and a glamorous librarian, she soon becomes embroiled in decoding a mystery. There are secrets and shadows at the heart of Nothing but Ghosts: symbols hidden in a time-darkened painting, and surprises behind a locked bedroom door. But most of all, this is a love story—the story of a girl who learns about love while also learning to live with her own ghosts.

This is a heartfelt, lyrical tale from the National Book Award-nominated author of Undercover and House of Dance. -- Harper Teen

I owe My Friend Amy a huge thanks for bringing NOTHING BUT GHOSTS by Beth Kephart to my attention. As many of you know, she started a book drive for NOTHING BUT GHOSTS a few weeks ago and encouraged all of us to buy a copy. I am so glad that she coordinated this entire effort because I might not have ever read this marvelous book otherwise. So to Amy -- THANK YOU! I absolutely loved this novel!

There are so many wonderful things to say about NOTHING BUT GHOSTS, but I think Ms. Kephart's writing is truly stellar and it is what makes this book extra-special. I have not read any of Ms. Kephart's other books, but if they are anything like this one, I certainly plan to in the very near future. As much as I appreciated her writing style, I wasn't totally surprised by how beautiful and honest her writing is because I am a regular follower of her blog. Although I must say that reading an entire novel was a different kind of treat for me. I am just so grateful that I could spend an entire afternoon reading this book and appreciating Ms. Kephart's gorgeous prose.

Another thing that I really enjoyed about NOTHING BUT GHOSTS were the characters that Ms. Kephart created in this story, especially Katie. I absolutely loved Katie's voice and found her to be such a very real young woman. My heart absolutely went out to Katie because she lost her mom at a time when she needed her the most -- those difficult teen years. I also found it incredibly painful to see that she isolated herself from her best friends as part of her grieving process. As I read this novel, I desperately wanted Katie to find some happiness in her life. I so wanted her to be able to come to some kind of understanding about her mother's death (and even her mother's life.)

I also really liked how there was an almost mystery aspect to this novel. While Katie's father was trying to unravel the meaning behind a painting that he was working on, Katie was attempting to figure out the mystery behind a reclusive woman. With the help of a very hip librarian (whom I absolutely loved) and Katie's co-worker and potential boyfriend, Katie eventually figures out the secrets behind the mysterious woman. As Katie learns the painful truth about this woman's life, she also discovers valuable things about herself and the ghosts in her life.

I just can't express how terrific NOTHING BUT GHOSTS is. I think if you have ever dealt with loss on any level, then you will appreciate this story. Ms. Kephart's writing is just amazing, and there is also no doubt in my mind that you will fall in love with Katie and the other characters in this story. It truly is one of my favorite reads this year!

It just so happens that my on-line book club is also reading this book, and we are talking about it later on today. So far, I think every one of us has enjoyed the book; and I can't wait to participate in the discussion. I'm pretty sure that NOTHING BUT GHOSTS will touch every reader, but I have a feeling that there might be different parts of the story that make an impression on each of us. There are some great themes to delve into including love, loss, grief and hope; and I know that we will have plenty to discuss. As a little aside, I have to admit that I am also very curious to hear what everyone thinks is the symbolism behind the finch and the color yellow.

Review: Scenarios 2: All That Glitters

Summary: Drew Daniels finally has what she thought she wanted—popularity and a cute boyfriend. But now she’s faced with choosing between pleasing her boyfriend and doing what’s right. Tween readers make the choice in this interactive story and see how the consequences change Drew’s life. Includes a contract and prayer to remind the reader of the importance of making godly decisions. -- Barbour

SCENARIOS 2: ALL THAT GLITTERS by Nicole O'Dell is the second book is her new Scenarios series of Christian middle-grade fiction. I enjoyed it every bit as much as her first book TRUTH OR DARE, and I think it did a wonderful job of addressing the very serious issues of peer pressure -- both from friends and boys.

As is the case with all of the Scenario books, the reader gets to actively participate in the outcome of the novel. When Drew must decide whether to go to a party with her boyfriend or not, the reader can put herself in Drew's shoes and make her decision. No matter what the reader decides, she sees both the postive and negative affects that each choice has on the characters. And I liked that even the ending where Drew lies to her parents and goes to the party shows that she ultimately sees the error in her ways and tries to make amends to those she's harmed. Both endings have very powerful messages.

Of course, Booking Daughter desperately wanted to read ALL THAT GLITTERS after finishing the first book and loving it so much. I hesitated to let her read this one because it dealt with some more mature issues including drugs, alcohol, and intimacy. I finally decided to give in because 1) she probably knows more than I realize about these things, and 2) I thought ALL THAT GLITTERS conveyed some very positive messages.

I think most parents fear that their child at some time will go against the values they've tried to instill in them. The middle school and high school years are difficult even for the most well-adjusted girls, and the more insecure ones will most likely try some things just to fit in. I think ALL THAT GLITTERS is a terrific book because it demonstrates the importance of staying true to yourself and saying no to peer pressure. But, what I really appreciate about this book is that it can open the door for parents and children to discuss some of these difficult topics.

As in TRUTH OR DARE, forgiveness was a very important theme throughout this novel. After Drew blows off her twin sister and lies to her parents, she realizes that she become a person with the wrong values. Drew's sister and parents show Christ's love by truly forgiving Drew for her behavior. Not only did Drew desire forgiveness from Christ and her family, but she also had to learn to forgive herself. I think it's important for young girls to realize that they are human and they will make some mistakes along the way, but the main thing is learn from them and not repeat them.

Make sure you check out Ms. O'Dell's website and her blog. In addition, there is a really fun website devoted to the Scenario books (http://www.scenariosforgirls.com/) where your child can enter to win giveaways, read interviews and and devotions, and even follow an advice column.

Booking Daughter also liked this book. Here are her thoughts:

I was excited to read ALL THAT GLITTERS since I thought TRUTH OR DARE was an amazing story. Even though I didn't like it as much as the first book, I still loved the story.

When I can to the decision part, I picked that Drew would stand up for herself because I thought she was a leader. After I read both endings, I actually liked the one where Drew ended up going to party with her boyfriend. I thought the parts about the party were very interesting, and I liked that Drew learned more. I also liked that her sister Dani learned that it was important to tell the truth even if it would affect her sister.

I thought that the lessons were good in this story. I learned that you shouldn't be with people who put you in tough situations.

Thanks to Ms. O'Dell for sending me and my daughter a copy of ALL THAT GLITTERS.

Make sure you stop by tomorrow because I will be posting and interview with Ms. O'Dell as well as a giveaway for the first two Scenarios books!

Review: Scenarios 1: Truth or Dare

Summary: Lindsay Martin is faced with a tough choice: Does she give in to peer pressure and make her friends happy or does she do what she knows is right—even if it means losing her friends forever? Tween readers make the choice in this interactive story and see how the consequences change Lindsay’s life. Includes a contract and prayer to remind the reader of the importance of making godly decisions. -- Barbour

I am really impressed with a new Christian fiction series for middle-grade girls called Scenarios by Nicole O'Dell . I recently read the first book in this series SCENARIOS 1: TRUTH OR DARE, and I can't rave enough about how terrific I think this book is. So many of the things that I try to relate to my daughter every day -- like making good choices, doing the right thing even when it's hard, sticking up for yourself, forgiving others, and being a good friend and a good Christian -- are covered within the pages of this novel.

I really like the concept of these Scenarios books, and I'm sure that lots of young girls will too. The book first introduces the characters and tells a story about them. I thought the book had very realistic characters and a very realistic story. At some point, the main character faces an ethical dilemma and has to make a choice. In the case of TRUTH OR DARE, Lindsay has to decide whether she will accept her friends' dare to try to purchase a can of beer. The reader gets to pick which outcome they would choose if they were in the character's shoes. I believe that by making the reader think about the dilemma and participate in choosing the ending really allows her to grasp some very difficult concepts.

I actually read both endings, and I thought they both had excellent lessons in them. In one ending, Lindsay decides to take a chance of alienating her friends and calls her mom to come and pick her up. She has to face the wrath of her "friends" after they get in trouble with the police and their school. In the other ending, Lindsay takes the dare and finds herself in trouble with the police. Both stories showed how Lindsay had to struggle with either decision and how difficult it can be to do the "right" thing. I thought the author did a wonderful job with showing how important it is to forgive others as Christ forgives us. Forgiveness is a difficult concept to grasp for some adults (myself included) so a book for young girls that has forgiveness as a major message is just terrific. There were also some wonderful examples of what makes a good friend. Believe me, I say the same things to my daughter all the time when her "friends" treat her poorly; but for some reason, when she actually read about these so-called friends, it all clicked!

One thing I really liked was how Lindsay's parents were represented in this book. My daughter even commented to me that even though she didn't always agree with Lindsay's parents, she could tell that they loved her and had reasons for their rules. In both stories, her parents were very involved in their daughter's life and in tune with her mood changes. In addition, they were entirely supportive of Lindsay even when she made mistakes -- it was always clear that they loved her. I think their Christ-like example of forgiveness was a huge step towards Lindsay being able to forgive herself and others.

There is a fantastic website devoted to the Scenarios books that is launching today! It looks like it's going to be a lot of fun for young girls. There are lots of giveaways, devotions, girl talk, etc. And there's even going to be an advice column. Booking Daughter can't wait to test it out.

And speaking of Booking Daughter, I had a feeling that she was going to like TRUTH OR DARE, but I don't think I realized how much impact this book would have on her. She couldn't stop talking about the story or the characters with me. Here are her thoughts:

I really loved reading TRUTH OR DARE. It was so good that I read it in one day, even though I didn't want it to end. Not only did I like the story, but I thought the characters helped make the book even better. I also enjoyed that the book let me decide how the story would end.

First, I picked the dare ending because I thought Lindsay would have made that decision. I thought of Lindsay as more of a follower. I ended up reading the truth story too, but I liked the dare ending better.

There were a lot of good lessons in this book. I learned about forgiveness in both story endings. Everyone apologized and forgave each other. The book also showed that God will always forgive you if you just ask and are truly sorry. I also learned about friendship and what it takes to be a good friend. This book showed me how a friend should treat you.

I recommend TRUTH OR DARE to anyone who likes to read about friendship or to anyone who would like to pick their own ending. I think there are valuable lessons in this book that will last a lifetime.

I really don't think I can say it any better myself! As a mother, it's so refreshing to know that there are really good books out there that also teach your children important lessons about life. Thanks to the author for sending me a copy of this book.