A Conversation with Brian Boger
January 17, 2014
When I first picked up Southern Fate I thought because the author was an attorney it was just another legal thriller, but the opening didn’t neatly fit into the thriller formula. I read on thinking perhaps it was a mystery but the first body didn’t show up until Chapter 9. Obviously not a mystery, so I read on and suddenly it swept me up and blew me away like a hurricane. The genre was literary and quintessentially Southern with elements of both mystery and thriller. The novel centers on the inner story of a South Carolina attorney Frank Rhodes and the journey to his fate and fortune.
Introduced as a rather pathetic character Frank Rhodes is an accident prone klutz and a mediocre lawyer whose only passion is hunting and fishing. The only thing making him worthy of attention is his extreme good looks. Suddenly things change for Frank in a big way when he lands a windfall judgment instantly propelling him into the national spotlight. On the road to money and fame he soon learns the bad news his wife is leaving him for another women. And things get complicated quickly when a serial arsonists plaguing the city with one of the first victims being a member of Frank’s non-traditional family. Meanwhile his brother teaches him an unorthodox method on how to get develop rhythm to thereby overcome his clumsiness, a lifelong affliction.
There is much going on in Southern Fate with numerous subplots. The book is full unexpected plot twists and Boger takes the reader into areas past traditional Southern writers feared to tread. He incorporates several popular motifs commonly found in Southern literature including sense of family and sense of place. However we see some newer motifs developing. For example the non-traditional family and same sex relationships. At a young age Frank’s father was killed by a burglar. His mother and another single windowed mother with a son of similar age merged households to form a non-traditional family headed by two women. While these women are heterosexual another non-traditional family with young children taking root when Frank’s wife leaves him for her same sex lover with young children. These types of non-traditional modern family models are uncommon in traditional Southern literature but realistically capture today’s society. Lesbian relationships have rarely been openly presented in such openly fashion and again capturing the dynamics of today’s modern families.
Another traditional motif is the sense of place. Southerners are exceedingly proud of their region and as social historian Carl N. Degler once described the South as a region “where roots, place, family and tradition are the essence of identity”. All of which are apparent in Southern Fate which in this jet age moves from Columbia to Charleston, New York, the Bahamas and Costa Rica. However, make no mistake the stories beginning, middle, and end are deeply rooted in Columbia, and Boger does not spare the details of Columbia’s rich Civil War history recounting the tales of Sherman’s march. Indeed the ghost of the War against Northern Aggression and the horrors Columbia faced under Sherman conjures up a deus ex machina villain the serial arsonist. Like Bo Radley suddenly arriving on the scene and not a moment too soon.
This is perhaps the books one major shortcoming. We never get to know the villain or his motivations only that he has targeted women belonging to the Daughters of the Confederacy in the name of Sherman. There are no red herrings or clues to suggest anything about the character and his motivations. The villain emerges in the end and disappears in a puff of fire and flames. As a reader in the end I was left frustrated with too many questions as was Frank. Perhaps this was the author’s intent.
As social issues and politics evolve with time so does a society’s literature, and Southern Fate stands as an exemplary work of modern Southern literature. The author is a practicing attorney, the father of three. He and his wife live in Columbia where he studied law. He also holds a degree in English from the University of Virginia. Brian Boger pushes the boundaries and thereby expands the conventional motifs placing him among the vanguard of new Southern writers.
I would dare suggest being on the future lookout for Brian Boger. He expects to release his second title in 2014. When asked about the project, he says “the working title is Champagne Friday. It’s another legal thriller type book with some (surprise) literary themes like loss, redemption, vindication, and young men leaving their Bacchanalian Rite of Passage behind them for good women. It’s a humdinger of a book developing strong female characters appealing to a broader female audience. The women are cool.”
If the women are anything like the men of Southern Fate it should indeed be a humdinger. Southern Fate is an incredibly delightful read, rich with local color and chocked with quirky characters. Boger’s voice and style are a cross between John Gresham and John Brendt. The state capital Columbia might want to get behind their adopted favorite son because Southern Fate could very well do for Columbia what Midnight In the Garden of Good Evil did for Savannah.
Thread of Gold Beads by Nike Campbell-Fatoki
November 7, 2013
About The Book
About The Author
Nike Campbell-Fatoki was born in Lvov, Ukraine to Nigerian parents. She spent her formative years in Lagos, Nigeria, listening to stories and folktales told by her maternal Grandparents. Her fondest memories were the weekends her mother took her and her siblings to Kings Way, on Lagos Island, returning back with bags of story books.
Though a social science major, she found great pleasure in taking literature classes. She graduated magna cum laude in Economics from Howard University and further went on to receive a Master of Arts degree in International Development from American University, Washington, DC. She worked for several years in International Development field working with International Development consulting firms managing projects and programs overseas.
Presently, she is a Budget and Finance Manager in the municipal government in the Washington DC area. She is an avid reader. She loves traveling, watching movies and listening to music. She is also the Founder of Eclectic Goodies, a party favors and gifts packaging company. She lives in the Washington DC area with her husband and three sons.
Review
“A highly competent contribution to the growing genre of popular historical fiction in Africa.”
– Sefi Atta, Author of A Bit of A Difference, Swallow, Everything Good Will Come. Winner of Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa.Connect with the Author
Email Address: nikecampbellfatoki@gmail.com
Website www.nikecfatoki.com
Twitter link www.twitter.com/nikecfatoki
Twitter Hashtag: #GoldBeadsTour
Facebook link www.facebook.com/nikecfatoki
Facebook Fan Page https://www.facebook.com/ThreadofGoldBeads
Book Trailer http://youtu.be/yc6V8nM7k2k
Buy Links
CreateSpace: https://www.createspace.com/3958444
Link to Tour Schedule http://wnlbooktours.com/nike-campbell-fatoki/
Dead Dreams, Book 1by Emma Right
November 5, 2013
Genre: Young Adult
Book Title: Dead Dreams, Book 1, a young adult contemporary psychological thriller and mystery
Print Length: 170 pages
Publisher: Right House Books; 2013 First edition
(August 26, 2013)
Format: Kindle
ASIN: B00ESVEVBQ
Hosted by: WNL Virtual Book Tour: http://wnlbooktours.com/
About The Book:
Eighteen-year-old Brie O’Mara has so much going for her: a loving family in the sidelines, an heiress for a roommate, and dreams that might just come true. Big dreams–of going to acting school, finishing college and making a name for herself. She is about to be the envy of everyone she knew. What more could she hope for? Except her dreams are about to lead her down the road to nightmares. Nightmares that could turn into a deadly reality.
.
About The Author:
Emma Right is a happy wife and Christian homeschool mother of five living in the Pacific West Coast of the USA. Besides running a busy home, and looking after their five pets, which includes two cats, a bunny and a Long-haired dachshund, she also writes stories for her children. She loves the Lord and when she doesn’t have her nose in a book, she is telling her kids to get theirs in one.
Right worked as a copywriter for two major advertising agencies and won several awards, including the prestigious Clio Award for her ads, before she settled down to have children.
Social Links:
Email Address: emmarightmarketing@gmail.com
Website: http://www.emmaright.com
Twitter link @emmbeliever
Facebook link https://www.facebook.com/DeadDreamsEmmaRight
Goodreads User:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18396455-dead-dreams
https://plus.google.com/u/0/111644513292318573575/posts
http://pinterest.com/emmaright/
https://twitter.com/emmbeliever
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7036571.Emma_Right
http://www.librarything.com/profile/emma.right.author
http://www.shelfari.com/emmaright
http://www.freado.com/users/35467/emma-right
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Emma-Right/e/B00BD7C4A8/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Dreams-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00ESVEVBQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1380565365&sr=1-1&keywords=young+adult+thriller%2C+B00ESVEVBQ
Music Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM7MI_3vqyo
Mario King discusses his book The Crisis Before Midlife
October 31, 2013
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What A Man Wants
I had the pleasure of meeting Mario D. King while he was promoting his debut novel at the Black Writers and Book Clubs Literacy Festival in Memphis, Tennessee. Mario was also honored for his community service to literacy. His novel The Crisis Before Midlife is a romance and while it has some flaws the author has done a commendable job as a male writer in the romance genre showing what a man wants in romance.
The protagonist a young man, Malcolm Turner is a teacher, an aspiring writer and a single parent. The Crisis Before Midlife is a romance chronicling his search for love. It’s often a given what the female protagonist wants, that perfect man, the perfect love, a home and a lasting relationship. And Malcolm Turner is no different. Malcolm an eligible bachelor has the same desires but too many distractions i.e. women and the remnants of too many failed relationships. So when Malcolm finds the one relationship he wants to work it gets derailed when an ex comes on the scene. The resulting assignation destroys his chance or does it? Malcolm has hopes and plans for the future and a young daughter who needs a mother.
There are few men writing romance literature though it is the most lucrative genre of all the contemporary books sold today. And there is a reason men don’t dominate in this field. It requires delving into deep emotional territory an experience men often find saccharin and sappy. Mario King has done a good job of showing what a man wants in a relationship and the challenges a man faces when woman find him irresistible. King captures his home town Memphis with vivid descriptions of local spots.
Authors like Mario are helping to take urban fiction to a higher level. This is a very good first book but I had some problems and they were all editorial. The first glaring warning came in the Author’s Note stating the book is a fictional novel, the classic faux pas of an untrained editor. Those in the know, know “fictional novel” is a no-no redundant term, all novels are fiction. Also some of author’s fashion descriptions and music are not organic to the scenes and often unnecessary and will date this book. I also thought the stylistic choice in diction could have been improved with a competent experienced editor.
Nevertheless kudos to Mario D. King. All in all it’s a good and interesting read though slow at times. It could have been better had he amped up the conflict. The few flaws I found could have been addressed by any good developmental editor. I look forward to Mario’s next book. I think he has a great potential and I like would like to follow his development. I give it 4 stars.
Living Separate Lives by Paulette Harper
October 23, 2013
Title: Living Separate Lives
Four Friends, One Secret and The Weekend That Changed Their Destiny
Author: Paulette Harper
Publisher: Thy Word Publishing
Genre: Christian Fiction, Novella
Hosted By: Write Now Literary Virtual Book Tour www.wnlbooktours.com
ISBN-13: 978-0-9899691-0-9
Releasing: Nov 5, 2013 e-book and paperback
About The Book
Candace Walker, Kaylan Smith, Jordan Tate, and Tiffany Thomas have their share of sorrows, but neither of them realizes how deep the sorrow goes. What happens when they agree to meet for a weekend of relaxation in beautiful Napa County? Which one will leave the same or worse?
For Candace Walker, life has left her battered and bruised. Kaylan Smith has struggled with prejudice from her in-laws. After fifteen years of marriage, bitterness is trying to raise its ugly head for Jordan Tate, whose husband wants to call it quits. And for Tiffany Thomas, dealing with rejection has never been one of her greatest feats.
Although they have been friends for years, they thought they knew each other well. But will a secret destroy their relationship and bring the sisterhood to a complete halt? Will they be able to forgive and allow God to mend that which might be torn?
About The Author
Paulette Harper is an award-winning and best-selling author. She is the owner of Write Now Literary Virtual Book Tours and is passionate about helping authors succeed in publishing and marketing their books. Paulette has been writing and publishing books since 2008. Paulette is the author of That Was Then, This is Now, Completely Whole and The Sanctuary. Her articles have appeared on-line and in print.
Social Media Links
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/PauletteHarperAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/pauletteharper
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/paulette-harper-johnson/7/a29/8a7
Pinterest : http://pinterest.com/pauletteharper/
Website: www.pauletteharper.com
Email: pharperjohnson@gmail.com
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18524878-living-separate-lives
Excerpt
“Stop preaching to me. I don’t want to hear it anymore. I’ve had enough of your self-righteousness.” The words continued to cut Jordan’s heart; words that she never heard before coming from the mouth of her husband, Eric. “You knew how I was before we got married.” His tone deepened with every word.
Standing in front of the sink, Jordan was frozen and motionless in the middle of the kitchen. She held the dish towel in one hand and a plate in the other. She turned and faced Eric, whose eyes were cold and hard. The verbal blows kept coming. Her mouth opened wide, but no words could be formed when he uttered the deadly words, “I want a divorce.”
Hosted by: WNL Virtual Book Tour: http://wnlbooktours.com
