Review: 'Divine Turmoil'

It's Review Wednesday and today I have Divine Turmoil by your truly. M.S. Spencer reviewed it and captured everything I had hoped the reader would feel and see. Hope you enjoy the review, I know I did! Thank you M.S. Spencer. :)

                 I have to admit it was difficult to finish Divine Turmoil, not because it wasn’t a wonderful read, but because I am unfortunately dealing with the death from cancer of a loved one.  But Rebecca Rose described the pain and powerlessness associated with losing a parent so well that in a way it comforted me.

Divine Turmoil is the story of Serena and Brian, two people burned by life and mislaid hopes, unwilling to let their emotions take them to the place of comfort they know they’ll find in each others arms.  Ms. Rose has captured beautifully their gradual acceptance of the inevitable without making their resistance either artificial or irritating.

There are some priceless moments, as when Brian feels the first stirrings of jealousy and wants to pee on Serena to mark his territory, and some great lines: “Brian was the breath she couldn’t quite catch.”  Ms. Rose thankfully appreciates males and doesn’t make fun of their masculine nature. And her heroine isn’t one of those Pollyanna's who always knows and does the right thing.  I hate that, don’t you?

Oddly enough, my absolute favorite scene is toward the end when the villain (here Brian’s ex-wife Susan) tries to take Brian back.  Rather than make Susan a cardboard two-dimensional creature that everyone can hate, she adds dimensions—insecurity, doubt, even a wish to make amends—to her.  It reminds the reader that all humans have their dark side and their light side, and that no one is beyond redemption.

I recommend Divine Turmoil to anyone looking for a story that gives the reader romance plus  a cast of very real characters with very human features. I literally couldn’t put it down through the final chapters.  Thank you, Rebecca Rose!

Divine Turmoil is an e-book and after August 1 you can have it in print from Lyrical Press at:

http://www.lyricalpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=authors&authors_id=103

Monday Beginnings

It's Monday morning and the start of another long week. But I would be lying if I said I wasn't looking forwards to today.

Last Friday I started a new chapter in my life--and one I think I'm going to really enjoy. I took over a summer writing class for my friend, Sera. Between life, work and school, her schedule didn't allow the time. So, here I am where the only thing I've ever taught is a few classes at the YMCA, and everyday things to my children--though that does count for something. Nevertheless, I'm as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rockers!

Friday's class actually went well. I prepared for it till the wee hours of the night and the results were awesome. But now what do I do for the next class, which is tonight? And the Monday after this one, and the one after that, ect? Aaahhh! I'm a panster (one who writes as if they're reading the story) and do things by the fly, so it's slightly agonizing to have to prepare for this.

As a class, we decided to do the five lessons on characterizing. I felt this was an important place to start and it's where the kids had the most questions. I explained how the character run the story and without these fabricated beings, FORGET IT. Your premise can be great, your plot something to be revered with all it's twists and turns. However, if your Prose sucks it's not going to work. Feeling what the character feels is so vitally important. Yet, we as authors sometimes forget it in our rush to get the story out. Now, there are the few which this comes naturally, and I applaud you, but must people it takes years to prefect.

Yup, today we're going to do a class on characterizing. We'll build a character from the ground up and watch how he/she transforms before our eyes. What fun! Do any of you teach? Or do you have any advice to share? I'd love to hear from you. :)

Have a Sparkling Day!

Rebecca Rose