Catching up

The biggest problem I've discovered about being a senior is that it gets more difficult to multi-task. So, since I've been working very diligently on my sequel to "The Silk Weaver's Daughter," I haven't had much time to keep up with my blogging, although I still have been reading and reviewing books for Amazon.

Here's a great new summer read by the author of the Hangman's Daughter series. As explained below,  I found it extremely interesting although perhaps not his best effort.

“Only last year my husband and I toured Germany and visited both the Linderhof and Neuschwanstein Castles built in the 1800s by Ludwig II of Bavaria so I was excited about reading "The Ludwig Conspiracy"  Potzsch’s latest novel set around the mysterious death of the so-called mad king.

 Having read all four books of his Hangman series, I was slightly disappointed in this venture into a modern day thriller. The author does handle the weaving together of the two plotlines very well, but occasionally the narration doesn’t quite pull it off. The execution wasn’t quite as sophisticated as his earlier works. Perhaps it loses something in translation.

The character of Steven Lukas is well drawn and I found myself pulling for him all the way. The art detective, Sarah Lengfeldt was not so believable. Some of her scenes to me seemed stilted and contrived, particularly those at Linderhof.

Nevertheless, Potzsch is a master of plotline and pacing and the story kept me turning pages until the end. He is still on my personal list of favorite writers of the 21^st century.“

The picture below left is Neuschwanstein. On the right is Linderhof Castle.  

Pinterest is fun

The new fun fad is creating your very own Pinterest; board. Here is the one I created that follows the Garneau family through their adventures in "The Silk Weaver's Daughter."  Enjoy the trip!

http://pinterest.com/pin/42362052717119174/?fb_action_ids=10151482575214534&fb_action_types=pinterestapp%3Apin&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=10151052373147165

Better Late Than Never

Well, it's been a while since you heard anything from this old lady. Over the past nine months I have given birth to a new book--well it's not ready for publication yet, but the first draft is done. It seems at this age, I can really only concentrate on one thing at once and so writing my blog has definitely suffered the consequences.

Oh, and I should tell you that during the summer we did take a month off to travel in Europe. So later I will be talking about our trip through five countries there--Germany, Switzerland, Leichenstein, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary. Although I was doing research for the new book, there was lots of fun involved as well.

For now, I've been doing a lot of reading and so I will tell you about some of the best books I read this winter. Today is an anthology about China written by John H. Rydzewski. Here are my comments:

As one who loves to travel, I have long desired to visit the mysterious countries of Asia. But even though I did manage to tour Japan, I have never been to its huge neighbour, China. So I was delighted when Author John Rydzewski offered me a copy of his book, “China Diaries & Other Tales from the Road.”

John is an itinerant writer who has travelled through more than forty countries on five continents and decided, not only travel through China; but to live and work there for three years.

His book is an anthology of stories about his adventures there and gives the reader insight into everything from dating the beautiful, northern Chinese policewomen of Dàlián to traveling along the mysterious Silk Road. The book gives an excellent overall perspective of an expatriate’s life in this huge country that is well on its way to being one of the top economic leaders of the world.

There are some funny moments and some poignant moments and Rydzewski’s ability to draw word pictures brings it all to life. He doesn’t spare himself in some of the episodes such as one entitled “Do You Smell Something.” The beauty of the book is that you don’t have to read it all at once. Each chapter is a story in itself and you can enjoy the entire book over a period of time.

Whether you have a trip to China in mind, or fear that you will never make it there, this is a great read and I highly recommend it. Five stars for this fascinating collection from John  Rydzewski. 

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The Red Chamber

Today's choice in new books is a little heavier reading. But I love Chinese culture and am always interested to read Chinese history. So here is my review of Pauline Chen's new book, "The Red Chamber" available on Amazon on July 10th.


"The Red Chamber" is based on the 18^th century China’s classic novel, “Dreams of the Red Chamber.” Author, Pauline Chen has taken some of the original characters from the book to weave an intriguing tale of life in the opulent women’s quarters of a privileged Beijing family of that era. The story follows the lives of three strong women who forge a friendship in a world where they are at the mercy, not only of their husbands, but their older female relatives as well.

For anyone wishing to understand Chinese culture and history of that period, this is a fascinating story. However, it is not an easy read. To begin with, there are so many characters in the family compound that it was necessary to have a glossary to keep them all straight. In addition, a family tree gives the main members of the Jia family, and how they are related. 

The novel is not a page-turner and with the culture being so unique, it takes time to absorb this book fully. However, it is well written and I enjoyed savoring it over a period of time. If Chinese culture and history is of interest to you, it’s a great read.

 My only complaint is that the story is told in present tense, which is something I personally don’t like. But that’s just me.

A Cozy Mystery for Pool Side or the Beach

Whether it’s beside a pool in summer or in front of a crackling fire in the winter, there is nothing better than relaxing with a cozy mystery. When you add great food and wonderful gardens to the plot, you have a novel that’s bound to please. ‘Nice murder’ as my best friend calls it.

“The Azalea Assault” is the first of a new series set in Roanoke, Virginia and written by Alyse Carlson under the banner of the Garden Society Mysteries. Camellia Harris or Cam as she prefers to be called is the public relations manager for the Roanoke Garden Society. She scores big time when she manages to get renowned photographer, Jean-Jacques Georges to agree to shoot a spread for a national gardening magazine story featuring some of the city’s most renowned gardens.

Jean-Jacques turns out to be a total jerk-face, so no one is surprised when he gets himself killed, but it becomes a tragedy for Cam when the police arrest her sister’s husband for the murder. Being in public relations, Cam has a nose for news, but when she starts asking too many questions and her main suspect is also murdered, she begins to wonder if she could be next in line.

There’s lots of smart, saucy dialogue to pique the interest, and enough red herrings to distract the most observant wanabee detective from guessing, right up to last few pages. This is a fun read for gardeners, foodies, or cozy fans in general.

Personally, I can hardly wait for the next flower in the alphabet, “The Begonia Bribe.” 

Some Reviews for "The Daughter"

Happy to say that my book is receiving some very nice  reviews on Amazon.com. Here are the two latest:

Ms. Kales reached back in time and used some history to write a wonderful story. The Silk Weaver's Daughter, a tale for adults of all ages, allows the reader to feel the joy and anguish of the Huguenots during the difficult days of their upheaval. Religious coercion forces many to leave their beloved country and find a new life. Although the characters are driven to action by their beliefs, this book is really a love story; a story of people under duress; a story of how their strength and fortitude allow them to survive. Okay Ms Kales we're hooked, where's the sequel.

One of the nicest things about the book was the care the author put in to researching it. It kept it believable and interesting, and a bit educational. Enjoyable characters who grow through the story. The conflicts are not long and drawn out, but it adds a bit of refreshment from the current need to have one major crisis after another. It was a pleasurable read, something that leaves the reader satisfied -- there is some interesting history that allows for a little enlightenment of the time period and good, realistic characters that you can feel for. A good way to relax and enjoy.

http://www.amazon.com/review/RX9FHCY9B2BGH/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0071NP3LU&linkCode=&nodeID=&tag=

It's very satisfying to write a book and realize that at least a portion of the public like your story. Of course, one always realizes that not everyone will and that is a chance you take as an author. You rather put yourself out there for criticism and you definitely have to develop a thick skin.

But so far, I'm very happy for the response I've had. My target audience is history lovers and I will keep writing for them.