Giveaway: Silver Pin from M. J. Rose of The Reincarnationist Series

There is a book series that has been on my wish list since the first one came out in 2007. M. J. Rose's Reincarnationist books have all the elements I like in escape reading: fast pace, historical elements, different time periods, puzzles or mysteries to figure out, archaeology, and maybe even a little love story.

In my part of the world, summer is just beginning, and I'm looking forward to some fun reading. When I was asked if I wanted to host an exciting giveaway to honor the launch of The Hypnotist, the third book in the series, I agreed, because not only will one of my readers get a very cool silver pin (details in a bit) but I would finally get a chance to read Rose's books.

Many bloggers who reviewed the first book, The Reincarnationist, recommended it for readers who were interested in ancient Rome and reincarnation and who liked thrillers. Here's a bit from the publisher's summary: "A bomb erupts in Rome and photojournalist Josh Ryder's world will never be the same. As he recovers, his mind is invaded by emotionally intense and vivid memories--but they aren't his memories."

The second book is The Memorist. Almost all book bloggers commented that the characters, action, and accuracy of the historical details made for a great read. Apparently Beethoven is important to the plot.

Since childhood, Meers Logan has been haunted by memories of another time and place. Now the hand of the past has reached out again, in the form of a drawing of an 18th-century gaming box. Determined to unlock the mystery, Meers travels to Vienna to find the box.

The newest book, The Hypnotist, was published just last month. Even though the book has been out only a few weeks, I did spot a couple of blogger reviews, which confirmed that Rose is still on top of her game. This novel takes us to Paris and the art world.

An FBI agent, tormented by a death he wasn't able to prevent, a crime he's never been able to solve and a love he's never forgotten, discovers that his true conflict resides not in his past, but in . . . Past Life.

Haunted by a twenty-year-old murder of a beautiful young painter, Lucian Glass keeps his demons at bay through his fascinating work as a Special Agent with the FBI's Art Crime Team. Currently investigating a crazed art collector who has begun destroying prized masterworks, Glass is thrust into a bizarre hostage negotiation that takes him undercover at the Phoenix Foundation — dedicated to the science of past life study — where, in order to maintain his cover, he agrees to submit to the treatment of a hypnotist.

Although I used the word series, M. J. Rose has stated that the books do not need to be read in any particular order. They were written to be stand-alones and the newer books do not contain spoilers for the older books.

To learn more about the books, see trailers, and subscribe to the Reincarnationst newsletter, visit M. J. Rose's website.

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of the latest entry in her Reincarnationist series, The Hypnotist, M. J. Rose is offering one of my readers a jeweler-crafted silver phoenix pin! Rose was also generous enough to give me one too. My pin is still in the mail, so I don't have a photo of me wearing it, but here's what the phoenix looks like. Very cool, isn't it?

Here's all you have to do to enter the giveaway:

1. Leave a comment saying you want to enter.
2. Make sure you leave an email address -- if I can't contact you, you can't win.

I will keep this giveaway open until June 28. I'll pick a winner using a random number generator when I turn on the computer on June 29. Good luck!

The Hypnotist at an Indie

The Hypnotist at Powell's
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Guest Post: Helen Ellis on New York

As most of you know, I love a good urban paranormal or fantasy. Thus when I had a chance to read What Curiosity Kills, the first in Helen Ellis's new young adult series, The Turning, I didn't hesitate.

Mary was born in Alabama but had been lucky enough to have been adopted out of foster care by an upper-middle-class couple who moved her to New York. Life seemed as normal as it gets in the Upper East Side, until the day Mary found herself on her hands and knees licking up the milk she had spilled on the kitchen floor.

You'll have to wait until Wednesday for my full review. But in the meantime, I am pleased to welcome author Helen Ellis to Beth Fish Reads. I asked her tell us a little bit about New York City and the role it plays in What Curiosity Kills.

New York, New York, A Hello-Kitty of a Town

Write what you know. That's the classic advice to all writers. Now, believe it or not, I do not know what it's like to shape-shift and get into a literal catfight, but I do know what it's like to live in Manhattan. And always feel slightly in awe and out of place.

I am an Alabama gal. I still gawk at tall buildings. I still, to my husband's chagrin, point out the orchestra pit when we go to the theater. I say thank-you to the bus driver and good morning to my neighbors, who walk past me with their eyes glued to their iPhones. I think it is a crime for private schools to charge thirty grand to teach first-graders their ABC's. On the rare occasion that I'm out past midnight, I am amazed at all the folks who are prowling the streets.

I ask myself, Who are these people? What are they doing? Where are they going? My motto is left over from my parents' words of wisdom regarding my high-school curfew: "Anything you can do after nine o'clock, you can do before nine o'clock." (watch my video blog "Diary of a Luddite: How to Go to Bed at Nine O'clock").

So, you see, I do things differently. And so do most of the folks in my novel. Mary and Octavia go to the elite Purser-Lilley Academy, but were once foster care kids who aren't raised with the over-privileged lives of their classmates. Mary's crush, Nick, lives in a fancy townhouse, but is governed by his strict pot-smoking Greek grandparents. Bad boy Yoon's parents own a local deli. Ben doesn't go to nightclubs, but he does go to illegal underground poker clubs.

The Manhattan I know is the alluringly creepy Cellar Used Bookstore in the basement of the Webster Library branch on the Upper East Side. Downtown, it's the funky salon, Kropps & Bobbers, with an overgrown back garden haven for stray cats. Surely, you've seen on TV or read about in books: Radio City Music Hall and the Plaza Hotel. In The Turning: What Curiosity Kills, I let you in on my Manhattan's best-kept secrets.

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Thanks so much, Helen, for both the great guest post and the photographs. Teenagers around the world can attest to your parents' words of wisdom! I definitely do not know New York's back-garden havens for stray cats, but I am familiar with the city's more famous buildings. I can also say with confidence that Mary's Manhattan is most assuredly not the one that I have experienced as a visitor.

Don't miss Helen Ellis's great website, including more videos in her Diary of a Luddite series. And stop back here on Wednesday for my review of What Curiosity Kills.

What Curiosity Kills at an Indie

What Curiosity Kills at Powell's
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BEA: Final Thoughts

For my final BEA post, I'd like to take a moment to give a public shout-out to all the wonderful people who took the time to talk to me about the upcoming and backlist books that they were reading or looking forward to. (You all know who you are!)

I was pleased to see that almost every press was quite positive about working with bloggers, and each took the time to chat. I can't tell you how big my wish list is now; I was exposed to tons of great titles. In addition, I'm thrilled to have connected with some wonderful people with whom I can help spread the word about fantastic books in a range of genres.

I stopped by booths to talk to salespeople, publicists, and authors; I visited publicists and editors at their offices; I had a lovely tea and chat with another author; and I met all kinds of bookish people on the exhibit floor, at receptions, and at the author meals.

I was stunned that several authors mentioned the Pennsylvania edition of the Literary Road Trip, and I don't think I'm going to have to scramble for authors to spotlight for that feature. Thanks to everyone for your amazing enthusiasm.

And I haven't even touched on all the wonderful bloggers I was reunited with or met for the first time.

BEA is all about the books, but book buzz is all about the people.

In the coming weeks I'll share some of the titles that caught my eye as well as the review copies that now grace my to-be-read stack. I can't wait to talk about the books that interest me, and I hope at least some will make it to your wish list.

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Weekend Cooking: Review and Giveaway of SOS! by Aviva Goldfarb

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page. For more information, see the welcome post.

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Lately, I've been hearing the same thoughts over and over again concerning making dinner: It seems that everyone wants healthful meals but no one wants to spend a lot of time or money to make them. Aviva Goldfarb has the answers.

I have been a fan of Aviva's for a number of years now. I own her first cookbook, The Six O'Clock Scramble, and I have subscribed to her weekly online service of the same name, which gives you a week's worth of easy, tasty, and healthful meals. Keep on reading because one lucky reader will win both the new cookbook and a 3-month subscription to Aviva's online recipe service.

I'm also excited that Aviva will be a guest here on Beth Fish Reads next Thursday. Don't miss her guest post.

Her newest cookbook is SOS! The Six O'Clock Scramble to the Rescue, and, as the subtitle says, it is full of Earth-Friendly, Kid-Pleasing Dinners for Busy Families. Aviva starts out by introducing herself and the philosophy behind her recipes and the book. She is a strong believer in buying local and cooking with fresh ingredients when possible.

SOS! is organized by season, and each section starts out with five suggested weekly menus. A table of contents groups the recipes by type and provides prep and cooking times. Each section opener is printed on green paper, so it is easy to turn right to each part. The index is well organized, so you can find recipes that way too.

Throughout the cookbook, there are boxes with tips on a variety of topics such as how to use ingredients, how to be a smarter shopper, and how to store foods. You'll also find information about Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs, introducing your kids to new foods, and even how to compost.

Okay, so what about the recipes? The flavors you'll find in SOS! range from Cuban to Indonesian, Greek, Mexican, Italian, and Asian. Each recipe includes prep time and cooking time. Almost all of the recipes can be made and cooked in 30 minutes, although some, like meat loaf, may take just a few minutes to prepare but require an hour or so to cook or bake. Included with each recipe is also nutritional information for the main dish and for the suggested side dish.

All the recipes I looked at used easy to find ingredients and required only basic cooking skills. One of the things I love about Aviva's recipes is that she provides extra information at the end of each one. You'll find tips, side dish suggestions, slow cooker or microwave instructions, and "flavor boosters" (for those of us who like a bit of spice). A lot of the meat dishes come with vegetarian options.

The only complaint I have about SOS! is that it was incredibly difficult to choose a recipe to share with you. Here are some of the recipes I considered:

• Rosemary-Lemon Pork Chops with Yogurt-Feta Sauce
• Chili-Rubbed Salmon with Garlic-Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
• Warm Pasta Salad with Arugula or Spinach,
• Thai Sweet-and Sour Chicken Wraps
• Santa Fe–Style Beef Stew

I decided to share a vegetarian dish because several of my readers were looking for bean-based meals the other day. Here's a winner:

Mango and Black Bean Salad

Prep + Cook = 20 minutes + 10 minutes to 24 hours to chill (optional)
Serves 6

• ¾–1 cup quick-cooking brown rice (2 cups prepared)
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1–1½ cups fresh or frozen mango, cut in ½-inch chunks
• ¼ sweet yellow onion, such as Vidalla, finely diced (about 1 cup)
• ¼ cup scallions, green parts only, or chives, finely chopped
• 1 lime, juice only (2–3 tablespoons)
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
• 6 large Boston or butter lettuce leaves (optional)
• 6 whole wheat tortillas for serving (optional)

Cook the rice according to the package directions. Remove it from the heat immediately when it is done cooking. (If you want to serve the salad immediately rather than waiting for it to chill, put the rice in the freezer for 5 minutes to cool it.)

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the beans, mango, onions, scallions, lime juice, and cilantro. Combine the cooled rice with the ingredients in the large bowl, season it with the salt, and toss it gently. Chill it for at least 10 minutes (an hour or more is ideal) and up to 24 hours. (Meanwhile prepare the side dish.)

Serve the salad on its own or wrapped in large lettuce leaves or a warm tortilla or both, topped with sliced avocado (see side dish), if desired.

Scramble Flavor Booster: Stir in fresh cilantro and serve the salad with spicy salsa.

Tip: If you don't like raw onions, saute them first until they are lightly browned. If you have picky eaters, put some of the beans and rice aside before combining the rest of the ingredients and let them have simple black bean and rice burritos with mango on the side.

Side Dish Suggestion: Peel and slice 2 to 4 avocados and sprinkle them with 1 to 4 teaspoons fresh lime juice (about 1 teaspoon per avocado) and ⅛ to ½ teaspoon salt (⅛ teaspoon per avocado). (Or mash the avocados with the juice and salt to make a guacamole.)

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SOS! The Six O'Clock Scramble to the Rescue at an Indie

SOS! The Six O'Clock Scramble to the Rescue at Powell's
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Source: Review (see review policy)

Giveaway

Now for the giveaway part! I'm really excited about this fabulous giveaway. One lucky reader from the U.S. or Canada will not only win a copy of SOS! The Six O'Clock Scramble to the Rescue but will also win a 3-month subscription ($19.50 value) to Aviva's Six-O'Clock Scramble program, an online dinner-planning service (click the link for more information). This is a terrific service—I know because I've been a subscriber in the past. Each week you get seven main-dish recipes, each with side dishes and tips. And all are healthful, easy, tasty, and fast. Truly you don't want to miss out on this.

Here's how to enter the giveaway: Just leave a comment stating that you want to enter the giveaway and be sure to leave an email address; if I can't contact you, you can't win. Winners must have a U.S. or Canadian mailing address. I'll pick a winner via a random-number generator in the morning of June 19.

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Guest Post: C. J. West on Food and Characters

On Tuesday, I gave you a teaser for C.J. West's newest novel, The End of Marking Time. What if the Supreme Court decided that it was cruel and unusual punishment to allow criminals to serve long-term sentences? What if they were all released? Michael O’Connor is one of the prisoners who suddenly finds himself free . . . well, sort of.

He tells you his story because he believes you are his jury and if you press the green button, he will be given another chance. Michael doesn't understand what is happening to him because he was the last felon released. He was unconscious while reeducation was introduced and he doesn't believe he can be punished in a world without prison. The mystery of this book is not who Michael thinks you are, but who is sitting in the thirteen chairs behind the window and what fate they will choose for Michael.

The other day, I planned to read the first chapter just to get a feel for the book. I was in Chapter 4 before I knew it. The book will be launched on June 10, and I'm betting it's a hit. Don't miss the launch party on C.J.'s Facebook page. You'll find an events page and more information about the novel. And, of course, you'll have a chance to decide Michael's fate!

C.J. was kind enough to give us some insight into how he thinks about his characters and how every little detail adds up to what we know about the people who inhabit his books. Let's take a look:

Fictional Food and Character?

I found a recipe while browsing Beth Fish Reads and started thinking about what my characters’ diets say about them. This was really great timing because my damsel-in-distress, Gretchen Greene, and Michael O’Connor the protagonist from The End of Marking Time couldn’t be more different. I didn’t set out to portray them through food specifically. When I write a character, I try to convey who they are in every decision they make. Within these two books food plays an important role in defining character, but I didn’t realize this until I started preparing to write this blog post.

Gretchen is crazed about the environment, self-reliant, and feels guilty about any adverse affect she might have on the planet. Gretchen forages and takes great pride when she eats the berries from an invasive plant because she is limiting its spread. She collects acorns, makes flour, and bakes muffins that most people would spit out at the first bitter bite. She wouldn’t think of baking her muffins in paper cups and absolutely never in foil tins. Enduring the bitter taste is one of the sacrifices that ease her guilt.

Gretchen could never eat meat and is deeply offended when others do so in her presence. She wonders how anyone could ask an animal to give its life simply for a day’s nourishment. When Gretchen sees a fast food joint, she sees wasted fuel, improperly treated animals, and tons of wasted paper. Don’t get her started on Styrofoam! Her extreme food choices shape what she does and where she goes and this appears to be painfully limiting until Gretchen and her friends are stranded deep in a swamp.

Michael O’Connor grew up an inner-city kid and wouldn’t know Autumn Olive (small red berries Gretchen eats) from black olives. Michael drinks Coke from plastic bottles and eats a diet heavy in Devil Dogs, frozen pizza, and Dunkin’ Donuts. Michael hasn’t been taught how to cook or even that continually eating out is tremendously expensive compared to cooking his own meals. His food choices show how little he was taught at home, which is the root of Michael’s problems. His juvenile diet is supremely unhealthy and generates an enormous amount of trash compared to Gretchen’s.

Michael’s diet is also a symbol of how dependent he is on society. After Michael is caught, he is confronted for the first time with the idea that he should contribute something to society in order to earn his keep. The idea is completely foreign to him and it seems Michael has never considered where Devil Dogs and frozen pizzas come from, while Gretchen is acutely aware not only of where her food comes from, but every step of its progress from plant to table.

Both characters have conflicts that are clarified by their food choices. Gretchen’s guilt over a past environmental disaster affects her every waking decision. Michael plows through life unaware (or uncaring) of the impact he has on others until he faces the ultimate punishment.

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Thanks so much, C.J. I really do notice food and other such details when I'm reading a novel, and the way they make me feel about a character is fairly subtle but permeating. I am fascinated with how these little points about a character can be so informing.

Be sure to check out C.J.'s website and don't miss the launch party!

The End of Marking Time at an Indie

The End of Marking Time at Powell's
These links lead to affiliate programs.

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