Her Book Self

I know I've lamented my lack of travel experience on this blog before but I've also stated that I love books for their passport nature.  It's exciting to me to visit new places and travel the world without going farther than my local library and one of my recent journeys took me on a trip across the Atlantic to a locale I've long dreamed of visiting in real life. 

Cole Baker is a spunky American graduate with a passion for her family's past.  In studying her ancestry she discovers a link to a Scottish clan with a strange history.  Unable to sate her curiosity where myth and legends cross with reality she hops a plane overseas determined to find her family's roots. 

Rowan MacLaoch is the modern day laird of the clan linked to the bizarre story of ancient star-crossed lovers that Cole uncovers.  Curses should be a thing of fairy tales but Rowan's people have a hard time shaking the superstitions they have lived with for centuries.  Cole finds herself drawn to the secretive Scotsman but as a veteran of the RAF, Rowan lives with scars and shadows of his own past even on top of the legends of his clan. 

The Legend of Lady MacLaoch was a delightful journey through the past and present castles and highlands of Scotland.  From the sights and sounds of lush gardens to the intricate tastes of Scottish whiskeys, author Becky Banks paints masterful scenery that leaps from the page in stunning details.  Cole is a heroine to cheer for with equal parts smarts and sass and Rowan walks a delicious line between brooding heartthrob and renaissance man.  From start to finish, the book was hard to put down and it seamlessly blends action, mystery, and romance with just a dash of magical realism.  Not since Diana Gabaldon's Outlander has a book left me with such a desire to see Scotland for myself, but The Legend of Lady MacLaoch is certainly cheaper than plane tickets and makes for an excellent literary journey.

I'm pleased to be part of author Becky Banks' Legendary Blog Tour promoting this book.  Check out my previous post for my interview with Becky Banks and a chance to win a paperback copy of The Legend of Lady MacLaoch (leave a comment on this review for an extra entry into the giveaway!)

And of course I'm still trying to pinpoint what it is about Scotland that has me so enamored.  The kilts?  The accents?  The highlands?  The whiskey?  Maybe it's all of the above.  Feel free to chime in with your own thoughts about the book (or Scotland) below!

 I'm pleased to start this week as a stop on Becky Banks' Legendary Blog Tour celebrating her novel The Legend of Lady MacLaoch! Be sure to check out my next post with my review of the book and after reading through this author interview, leave a comment with your best guess to the trivia questions as an entry to win a paperback copy of the book - details below!

Hi Becky! Tell us a bit about yourself. How did you get started as a writer and how did a girl from Hawaii end up writing a book set in Scotland?

Alooooooha! Mahalo nui loa (thank you very much) Lisa for having me! Well, the two-second explanation on how a girl from Hawaii got to Scotland is, by plane. Iceland Air, specifically.

Ha-ha! No, really though, I first attended college here in Oregon (go Beavs!!) then settled down in Portland and started my career in the environmental field. A handful of years went by and in 2009 my husband and I took a trip to Scotland. At that time I had already dabbled in novel writing, I had written but not finished two manuscripts and with the excitement of the trip began my third. After Scotland, being immersed in the history and ancient lore of places like Portree, Urquhart, Drumnadrochit, Sterling, Elgin, and Dunvegan the tapestry of The Legend of Lady MacLaoch took shape.

What type of research went into constructing the details of this novel?

Being curious by nature and having a knack of never forgetting certain details, the majority of the book came right out from memory from the ten days we spent in Scotland. The biggest research portion was the fighter jet scene at the beginning. Right at the beginning *spoiler alert* Rowan and co-navigator Vick are cruising in a jet and get struck down. Now, I’ve logged my fair share of mileage in planes traveling to and from the islands from the mainland, but an airline is called an airbus for a reason. It’s pretty much a different world from being in a fighter jet. I feel that one can be told or read about what it’s like to be in the cockpit of a jet but for me nothing can replace seeing it, or being there. I have a healthy fear of heights so I wasn't about to sign up for ride in one. Enter YouTube. I spent hours flying in jets, doing flybys and ejecting all via uploaded videos. You’d be surprised on how many ejection videos there are on there – and some recorded from the cockpit!

On your website, you have a poll for readers to choose which Scottish actor they most picture as Rowan MacLaoch. Did you have any of these highland hotties in mind when writing Rowan?

Ha-ha! Oh, great question. Actually, Rowan is none of these men. He lives and breathes as a bartender in Portree on the Isle of Skye. Of course I took a few major liberties on his persona, using his looks and physique as the inspiration. I did little more than converse briefly with him (he being a MacLeod) and when he overheard my husband and I talking about visiting the MacLeod castle estate that day he said, “Ye visited my castle today, aye?” One look at him, and into the story he rolled.

What would you say are the highlights and challenges of working as an independent author?

My other profession, besides being an author, is in the marketing field. I have been involved with taking an environmental start-up company with a bootstrap budget to a successful nationally recognized leader in its industry. With this experience under my belt I thought going independent would be easier than trying to go the traditional route with the manuscript. I also need to confess now, I am a control freak. As an independent author I have control over my novels from beginning to end. From cover art to editing styles. The other great part of being independent has been choosing my own team. As you may have read in the acknowledgement section, this was a community effort to create The Legend of Lady MacLaoch. My editing team are an awesome set of talented women, my peer reviewers too are amazing and each of them make being an independent author a major highlight of this career. The challenge however, is finding time to do it all. Because I take on more roles than just writing as an independent author, I find that writing, plus working a day job and still finding time for the rest of my life can be a little difficult. But despite that challenge, being an independent author is bliss.

What authors or works have inspired or influenced you?

Well, I have to say two books influenced me the most. The Berenstain Bears and Madeline L. Lingle’s A Wrinkle in Time. I wasn’t a huge fan of reading as a kid so these stuck with me because I can remember, still, reading them for the first time. Though I have to say that it wasn’t necessarily books or authors that influenced me the most, it was cinema. One of my most beloved pastimes was watching movies with my father. We seldom had extended time with him so when he would bring home movies we (my brother and I) would just go nuts. The action adventures with strong female leads are the ones that resonate deepest with me. One in particular that is a wonderfully fierce and funny movie called The Long Kiss Goodnight. I still love this movie; it’s right up there with Top Gun. Ha-ha!

Your blog recently mentioned a tribute to your late grandmother (you have my condolences) and you referred to her as a "certified badass" who instilled her spirit of strength and confidence into you. Do you see her present in Cole's character?

That’s a very interesting point! (And thank you for your condolences she was truly and amazing person) Gran and Cole do have many things in common, both are southern ladies who have more of the Wild in them than they do the Lady and both have a stubborn streak. :0) Cole also has an analytical air to her when it comes to research – in that she sees the data and sometimes gets pigeonholed there not seeing the world that the data exists in. Hence she has a hard time believing in coincidences. However, my gran was more an observer of the world, she enjoyed the stories that people told, and everyone whether they knew it or not had a story to tell. For her, the more coincidences and outliers, the better the story.

What projects are you currently working on and where can we find out more about your work?

The next project that I’m currently working on is another novel, its working title is The Mechanic. The Mechanic, is very very different from The Legend of Lady MacLaoch, as it is set here in the US and is much more of a gritty love story. The main character is a woman named Eva Rodgers. She’s a businesswoman and chief editing officer for a large magazine, the man in the story is a man named Nathaniel Vellanova. Nate is a street-wise European auto mechanic with a brutal past. The grit comes out in strong language, even stronger characters and a storyline that is about fast cars, smart yet tragic youths and intense life changes. Oh, and the bond of it all? Love. Currently planned to release early 2012.Thanks for having me Lisa and if people want to get more info or personally drop me a line visit me at www.beckybanksonline.com.  Happy reading!!

Thanks for joining me, Becky!

And now for the giveaway! One lucky Her Book Self reader will win a paperback copy of The Legend of Lady MacLaoch!  The contest will run from now until October 1st and is open to entrants in the US and Canada.  To enter leave a comment below with your name and email address and your best guesses (or well researched answers) to these two trivia questions:

Question 1: What castle is Castle Laoch in The Legend of Lady MacLaoch loosely based upon?
Hint: This answer can be found in the comments at the first tour stop at www.romancing-the-book.com.

Question 2: What does laoch mean in Gaelic? As in MacLaoch.
Hint: Lisa's last name translated from Spanish has the same meaning.

You can gain up to three entries for this contest - one entry for making a guess at each answer, one entry if you get both answers correct and a third entry for leaving a comment on my review of The Legend of Lady MacLaoch!  Good Luck!

This quote from Michael Chabon made me giggle a little, since I've complained in the past about wanting more standalone novels and less sequels and have also composed a list of sequels I'm eagerly waiting to read.  I know I've felt before that all new novels are sequels but at the same time I can only partially agree with such a pessimistic take on novel writing.  I know there's some truth to the idea that there are no new stories and that every new work is an old one wrapped up in new clothing, but I still stand that creativity and originality are rampant in fiction these days.  I think some of my very favorite books are the ones in which authors really are creating something fresh and unique. What are your thoughts?  Is everything new these days a reinvention of something previous?

Book: Anne of Avonlea by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Series: Anne of Green Gables

Book Order: Anne of Green Gables* (1), Anne of Avonlea* (2), Anne of the Island (3), Anne of Windy Poplars (4), Anne's House of Dreams (5), Anne of Ingleside (6), Rainbow Valley (7), Rilla of Ingleside (8) 
* indicates a book I have read

Anne of Avonlea is the continuation of the story begun in Anne of Green Gables of L.M. Montgomery's indomitable heroine Anne Shirley.  Grown up from the first novel, Anne begins book two as a school teacher in Avonlea on Prince Edward Island.  Many of characters from Anne of Green Gables return in the sequel - Marilla Cuthbert, Diana Barry, Gilbert Blythe, Rachel Lynde - but Anne also makes many new acquaintances and her students and neighbors provide some fresh drama to the story. 

I love this series, but I did feel that this book wasn't quite as enjoyable as the first.  There was something enchanting in book one about discovering Green Gables and Avonlea through Anne's innocent eyes, and this book felt a bit more - for lack of a better word - ordinary.  There were definitely memorable moments and fun points to the story but it's hard to say that any of them were as brilliant as Anne's antics in the series opener.  The first book was the story of a young girl and this one is clearly the story of a young woman.  Anne has matured and so the book lacks some of her youthful humor and fanciful imagination.  Still, it is the characters and the picturesque scenery that make this book a heartwarming read as well as Montgomery's slowly unfolding love story between Gilbert and Anne. 

For any readers who complain about the irksome trend in popular fiction of eye-roll-inducing love at first sight, I give you a quote revealing a different perspective:

"Perhaps, after all, romance did not come into one's life with pomp and blare, like a gay knight riding down; perhaps it crept to one's side like an old friend through quiet ways; perhaps it revealed itself in seeming prose, until some sudden shaft of illumination flung athwart its pages betrayed the rhythm and the music, perhaps... perhaps love unfolded naturally out of a beautiful friendship, as a golden-hearted rose slipping from its green sheath."

~ Anne of Avonlea, L.M. Montgomery

Even if I may not have loved this book as much as the first in the series, this quote melted me.  The more I read of the Anne of Green Gables series, the more I realize that the beauty of Montgomery's saga is not just in the individual works, but in the sweeping narrative as a whole.  I still wish I had read these books at a younger age, but even discovering them as an adult, they are charming, lovely works and I look forward to the next six in the series.

Yo ho, yo ho!  It be Talk Like A Pirate Day once more an' the only thing better than a bottle o' rum be a bottle o' rum and a piratey book to read!  Today the Dread Pirate Brody be bringin' ye a review o' Pirate of My Heart by Jamie Carie. 

Lady Kendra Townsend is left in a dire situation when her greedy uncle takes over her father's estate. Given the choice between being married off to a husband twice her age or being shipped off to live with relatives in America, Kendra chooses an unknown life overseas.

Captain Dorian Colburn has his own plans for the running of his new cargo ship and escorting Lady Kendra as a passenger to America was not one of them. At first he is annoyed by the inconvenience of the heiress aboard his ship but soon he finds his attraction to her an even larger distraction from his duties.

Set upon by pirates during their voyage and facing family conflicts and burdens of the past once they reach their destination, the relationship between Kendra and Dorian is far from simple. She is a woman of faith and turns to God during all her difficulties, and she is unsure if the ship captain fits into God's designs for her life. Though the element of Christianity is a turn-off for some, I thought it was dealt with really well as an aspect of Kendra's personality.

Yet, I would have preferred the book more had Kendra been a stronger heroine and relied less on Dorian to come to her rescue. I also thought more of the story was going to take place at sea, with pirates playing into a larger part of the plot. Nevertheless, this was still an enjoyable novel and I'd be willing to check out future works by Jamie Carie. 

Thar ye have it.  On top o' my review, I say I be lovin' the arrrt work on the cover o' this book.   The picture made me be thinkin' that it be a book more about pirates and seafarers than a tale o' love on land.  I be receivin' a copy o' this book on me Kindle for review from the ebook service by the name o' NetGalley -  I be thinkin there be a pirate ship lurkin' among their site but I've yet to find one!

Not sure if anyone else be celebratin' Talk Like a Pirate Day but it be a holiday I been bloggin' about fer many a turn o' the tides. Check out me review o' Treasure Island for more bookish pirate fun or spy The Dread Pirate Brody's Pirate Arrrrchives from me former blog. 

I know as recently as four days ago I said Her Book Self was on neither Facebook nor Twitter and in that short span of time, I made at least a partial liar out of myself.  Are you ready for this breaking news?


Feel free to click on over to check it out and, of course, I would love for you to "Like" my page.  I would also like for you to love my page, but currently that's not an option so we'll just have to settle for liking at present unless anyone feels the call of poetry...

Friday is here and so Book Blogger Appreciation Week is coming to a close.  Along with all the great participants in Book Blogger Land, I've written posts about Community and Reading, and now it's time for the third key to the triumvirate of book blogging - Blogging itself.  Today's prompt says,

"The world of blogging is continually changing. Share 3 things you are essential tried and true practices for every blogger and 1-3 new trends or tools you’ve adapted recently or would like to in the future."

 And I must say this suggestion makes me giggle a little (and not just for the "you" instead of "that" in the second sentence - I won't be rude and answer proofreading).  I laugh because it's inherently assuming that I know a thing or two about book blogging when in fact, as in most things in my life, I'm more or less making things up as I go along.  You could say I have a "fake it til you make it" attitude in that I threw this blog out there into the netherworld of the internet a year and a half ago and by some freak chance people actually started reading it.  And liking it!  I know!! Even I'm still pretty amazed at that!

But okay.  Let's pretend for a moment that my experiences have taught me something.  (Come on, stop laughing, you really can teach an old blogger new tricks...) I've been dabbling in the blogosphere for almost a decade now, so here's what I guess I would say "works" for Her Book Self:

1. Posting, Posting, Posting.  There's a catch phrase that states the three most important things in real estate are "Location, Location, Location" and I think the most important thing in blogging is posting, posting, posting.  No content, no blog - simple as that. 

2. Reading, Reading, Reading.  I love Top Ten Tuesdays, Wordless Wednesdays, and Sunday Salons as much as the next girl, but I don't think blogs should rely on them too heavily.  Memes are my idea of blog seasoning.  They add some great flavor, but if there's no meat and potatoes (or felafel and pita) underneath pretty soon you realize you're just sitting in front of a plate of salt and pepper.  Quality reviews and commentary are what make blogs substantial and without reading, all the extras can get pretty bland. 

3. Comments, Comments, Comments.  A favorite quote of mine states that people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.  I touched on this point in my post about community, but communication is a two way street.  If I wasn't willing to visit other blogs, read content, and interact with other bloggers I never would have made Her Book Self public. For anyone wondering why their blog doesn't get more comments just ask yourself how many you've stopped to leave.

And now my favorite question:  What's next?  I don't want to tip my hand, but Her Book Self will be trying some new things in the coming year.  (If you reeeeally want a sneak peek, check out the welcome sidebar on the right.)  For now, it's more of what - I hope - works at present.  Series in September will be continuing next week after another celebration of Talk Like a Pirate Day (of course!).  I have a giveaway planned for the end of the month along with participation in a blog tour and a few more author interviews.  I want to thank everyone who visited here for the first time during Book Blogger Appreciation Week.  I've really enjoyed discovering even more great blogs over the past few days and I look forward to making the rounds today and learning from all of you how to make my blog even better!

Book Blogger Appreciation Week continues and where as yesterday's theme was Community, today's prompt is about reading habits; specifically, has book blogging changed your reading habits?

I will be surprised if any book bloggers answer that question with a no.  (And if you're a blogger who feels your habits have not changed at all, leave a note below because I'd love to hear your thoughts!)  From the pressure of completing books and writing reviews in a timely manner to the explosions of my very own Mount TBR - which is now officially a volcano due to the massive amounts of recommendations I've gained from others.  But the change to my reading habits that I love the most comes from discovering books that I would never have heard of before all because of other blogs and their great bloggers.

Rather than expand on this topic, I want to share a review that I recently wrote for one of my favorite reads of the year so far - a book that I read all because of Enbrethiliel over at Shredded Cheddar.  (And since BBAW is all about really awesome book blogs, pop over and check out her writing - that girl has serious talent and if I were in charge of the BBAW awards Shredded Cheddar would have won a handful!!) I won Tall Story by Candy Gourlay in a contest at Shredded Cheddar spotlighting books about the Philippines - it came highly recommended and lived up to all the high expectations I had for it!

Amandolina (Andi) knows her life is in for a change when she learns that her half-brother Bernardo is moving from the Philippines to live with her and her parents in England. People have always said Bernardo is "tall" but at eight feet he towers over everyone - taller even than Andi's hero Michael Jordan. Andi dreams of sharing her love of basketball with her brother but doesn't expect the culture shock he has to deal with adjusting to a new country.  In his home village of San Andres in the Philippines, Bernardo's height is considered a mark of good fortune. Though he longs to reunite with his family, he fears leaving his superstitious neighbors behind.

Tall Story is a tale of friendship, family, wishes, and curses with a twist of folklore blended into a story of growing up and fitting in. The book is told in alternating chapters by Andi and Bernardo and author Candy Gourlay does a remarkable job giving each character a unique perspective and voice. Though their situations are original they both face awkwardness and adjustments that any young adult can relate to, but the heart of this story is a theme of love and family that will charm readers of any age.

In short, (no pun intended) I read Tall Story because of Enbrethiliel, and because I love to expand my horizons of reading through input from book bloggers.  Whether it's a recommendation about a classic that I missed reading in school or a work about a country, culture, or time period that I could really stand to learn more about, I highly value the insight that other bloggers provide about books I should read.  I think we'd all nod our heads at the statement, "So many books, so little time" so I'm glad to have blogs that help me vet out wonderful choices from among the masses. 

Also, I wanted to include my review here, not only to give new visitors a taste of my style, but because last year during BBAW I raved about my love for the young adult book Hurt Go Happy by Ginny Rorby; and I was thrilled to find that other bloggers cited me for recommending it to them when they loved it as much as I did. Tall Story is one that touched me almost as much as Hurt Go Happy and I would love to see more bloggers embrace it for the wonderful work that it is. 

If you're looking for a great new-to-you book to read, check out Tall Story; and if you're looking for a great new-to-you blog to read check out Shredded Cheddar; and if you have the time be sure to do both!