winter haven

Winter Haven by Athol Dickson is to be released in a couple of weeks.  I was able to read an advance copy and I loved it.  As soon as possible, pick up a copy and spend some time on the rugged island of Winter Haven.

This contemporary novel was masterfully written with a wonderfully gothic feel.  I snuggled under a blanket.  

The writing is clean and vivid.  I feel as if I've actually been to this place off the coast of Maine.  The imagery in Dickson's novels is always wonderful, but flows naturally from the story itself.

Vera leaves Dallas for a tiny island in Maine so that she can recover the body of her brother who has been missing for thirteen years.  Siggy washed ashore all these miles from home, yet how did he get there?  And stranger still, he looks exactly as he did when he disappeared at the age of fifteen.

A massive, brooding house sitting atop a cliff.  The dangerous Atlantic pounding the shore.  A mysterious man, ghosts  and a witch.  Ominous warnings and threats.  Dead bodies, unsolved mysteries and tragedy.  Frightening sounds and unexplained events.  Grief, madness, and grudges.  What is real?  Who can she trust?  She can’t even trust her own mind, or God who is sitting on high waiting to punish her for wayward thoughts or actions. 

Will she be able to unravel the events that brought her brother to this remote place full of evil foreboding?  Will she give in to insanity and the memories that overwhelm her?  There are far more questions than answers as you turn these pages, but as with other Dickson books I’ve read, the ending is satisfying and complete.  All your questions will be answered in full.  You'll find the pieces come together, the ends tied off, and you've had great ride.

Nicole at Into the Fire has posted a review today, too.  So go check that out.

two things

I got another award!  Jan at Bold and Free and Mel at Monday through Sunday both gave me this award!

All of you who read my blog are my friends and I appreciate you.  Please, come and get this award and put it on your own blog!  That's it, right there on the right.

Now, another topic.  I love names and thinking about the meaning of names.  I have done some study on the names of God and it is very interesting and insightful into the nature of God.

But This, I did not know.  This is worth all of you reading over at What Athol Wrote.  Really, it will give you goosebumps and maybe bring a tear of wonder to your eye.

review preview

I've read three of Athol Dickson's novels and they are all very different. Different genres, different themes, different characters. There is nothing formulaic about his books.
What does remain consistent is his style and his voice. He has a style of writing that fascinates me. I mentioned it in my review of River Rising; he weaves the story. That's a phrase I have often heard, but it is exactly the way Dickson writes. You see a thread and then it's gone and then it pops up again and you don't really know what it is or how to interpret it, but as you continue reading you will see the various threads come together in a complete picture.

Another thing consistent about his works are how visually vivid they are. He doesn't waste a lot of time on descriptions, but instead the stories themselves paint images onto the mind. I can see Winter Haven in my mind as clearly as if I'd been there.

Winter Haven is the title of his latest book. Due in stores on April 8th, but you can pre-order it now. It is a contemporary Gothic mystery. It will keep you up until you turn the last page.

I will be posting a review in March.

creative challenge book give-away

I have been visiting Athol Dickson's blog for a while now, but I had not read any of his books. So I decided I should, and boy howdy, you don't just read them, you experience them.

I want to give away a copy of River Rising. It is one of the best books I have read, ever.

You've heard the term "weaving a story"? Well, that's exactly what this author does. You see little threads come and go. Little pieces that give you just a bit of information, but leave you with more questions than answers. Until the end where it all ties up beautifully and every piece makes perfect sense.

This story is history, mystery and spec fic; three of my favorite genres. Set in 1927 in the deepest of the deep south, the mouth of the Mighty Mississippi. Blacks and whites hang out together at the general store, work together, eat together and shake hands like equals; but the most important thing they can't seem to do together.

This is a Christmas story, yet it isn't set at Christmas and never even mentions it. But it is Emanuel -- God With Us.

For me, reading this book was a bit like being caught up in a river. There were times that it was calm and beautiful and made me smile and then I went under and thought "no, I don't want to go there!" and I was bounced around a bit and finally deposited on the shore at the feet of the one I love most. A bit battered and breathless, but weeping for joy.

Ok, so if you are interested, here's what you do -- you have to earn the chance here, man-- go to this site, pick any of the prompts you like and leave your creative effort in the comments. I won't be judging your entry, nobody will. I will take you and put you in a hat and draw one of you out. But I think we all could use a creative challenge now and then, even those of us who write, paint, whatever. We need to do a little something different now and then. Plus, I love reading what you come up with!

Edited to add: I guess I need to give you a dealine. One week from today-- the day after Thanksgiving-- I will draw a winner!