American Like Me (Book Review)

I was so excited to read American Like Me when MR. BOOK CLUB selected it as our January/February official selection. As an immigrant child, memories of my early days in America still fill me with the most confusing mix of emotions: there was fear, there was excitement, there was naiveté, there was misinformation. Ah, there is even an aroma of our very first American apartment that I can still tap to if I focus enough. All and all, it was a nerve-wracking time that was also kind of delicious (literally! We ate like pigs!) and full of hope. So, of course, if I see a compilation of essays written about various immigrant experiences, you damn right I’m going to read it! Plus it’s an America Ferrera project! Who doesn’t like America Ferrera?!

For the most part, I loved the book. The essays, one after the other, left me feeling giddy. Besides the occasional existential insight into what the term “American Dream” truly means, these were mostly reflections on childhood experiences. Turns out that all of us immigrants (or first generation kiddos) who were tweens in the early 90s, no matter our backgrounds, have very similar experiences. We all watched Family Matters and dreamed big 90210 dreams. We all had those tall mean girls we were afraid of and all our parents wanted us to become doctors or lawyers. This fact was of such comfort to me. How relatable! How universal! We truly are one. Reading this book, I even became inspired to revisit a long ago shelved idea of mine. See, I really want to write and publish a memoir focusing on my first year experience in America. I know, I know, here I am waxing poetic about how all of our experiences are similar and yet I want to write and sell my own story. Yes, yes, I hear a bit of a contradiction there. Well, allow me to ask you to take my word for it right now, but I’m telling ya, my story has a bit of a unique flavor to it. Will it ever be written? Yes. When? I don’t know. Suffice it to say that not everyone in my family will be lining up for a copy so that’s a bit of a deterrent. Sometimes, anyway.

Anywho, long story short: Did I like this book? Yes. Would I recommend it? Yes. How many stars would I give it? 3.5. And here is why: the stories lacked diversity. Predominantly, the essays were written by various celebrities of Hispanic descent, in addition to an occasional Asian perspective. Missing entirely are Jewish voices. Not a one. Russian-Jewish immigration came in a massive wave in early and mid ‘90s; surely, our voices deserve some representation, too. We too had obstacles to overcome, a language to learn, parents’ hopes and dreams to crush. Was Mila Kunis not available? Or Natalie Portman (an Israeli immigrant)? Also missing are Arab voices (were Tony Shalhoub and/or Rami Malek not available either?), with the only one present being that of Linda Sansour—a woman known for generally doing a poor job of hiding her anti-Semitic tendencies. The combination makes one wonder if this was an editorial oversight or an intentional statement. I don’t know. But I do know that I expected better from America Ferrera.

Author Interview-Laura Lovett

Laura Lovett

Laura (Hambley) Lovett was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, and received her PhD in Psychology from the University of Calgary in 2005. Her love of writing began at an early age when she would create and draw characters, telling stories to herself as she drew.

An accomplished author in the academic and business world, Laura pursued her love of creative writing to pen her first novel, Losing Cadence, a psychological thriller. Losing Cadence was written over many years as Laura juggled school, work and family, but she made time to pursue her passion for writing. 

Laura is a psychologist and entrepreneur, currently running practices in the areas of career and leadership development and distributed workplaces in Calgary and Toronto. She won a Woman of Inspiration Award in 2018 as a Global Influencer, and selected as a Distinctive Woman of Canada in 2013. Laura also enjoys teaching at the University of Calgary and has been an Adjunct Professor of Psychology since 2010.

Laura lives in Calgary with her husband, three children and dog, Ghost. She loves playing squash, traveling, and reading, as well as her view of the Rocky Mountains as the snow is falling on her hot tub.

Marina Raydun: You are quite accomplished in your career as a psychologist. How does your profession inspire your writing? 

Laura Lovett: I love my career as a psychologist as it allows me to help people and to better understand human behavior.  I was inspired to write psychological thrillers that went beyond the types of challenges I see, to a much more extreme case.  All I have learned about psychology and mental health has helped me explain my antagonist’s (Richard White’s) thoughts and actions. I’m inspired to bring more awareness to mental health and to entertain people through my novels. 

MR: The cover art for Losing Cadence (and Finding Sophie!) is striking. Can you talk a little about the concept behind these designs?

LL:  A talented graphic designer and friend, Corey Brennan of Elevate Graphic Design, created these covers in collaboration with me. At first, we thought of using a photo of the stalker in the trees and Cadence playing her flute; but, when I saw the more artistic design, I found it striking.  I wanted books that would “pop” on the shelf.  The stalker is in the background of each, and is subtle yet foreboding.  The bride in Losing Cadence has a dress the same shape as the wake in Finding Sophie.  The books sit side by side in a complementary way, and I sincerely hope that people find them unique.

MR: What was the hardest scene to write?

LL:  The ending of Finding Sophie was the most difficult to write.  I could go in a couple of different directions and I had to decide.  I was under a timeline and I ended up seeing where the writing would take me.  The ending was emotional for me and I think the emotions it elicits in the readers are in line with the emotional contradictions of a psychological thriller.

MR: What do you owe real life people upon whom you base your characters? 

LL: People ask if Richard White is based on a partner I’ve had.  No way!  He came from my imagination and I owe my imagination and creativity to my father as he was a creative soul.  He passed away in 1997, but I can still feel his creativity in my being.  As for Cadence, she is not based on anyone either, but I attribute my flute playing and being a flute teacher in my teens and early twenties to my understanding of Cadence.  And, of course, having my own children, now ages 13, 10 and 8, helped me write about Sophie and Cale, and how children those ages might react to the situations facing them. 

MR: What’s the most difficult part about writing characters from the opposite sex?

LL:  I don’t find it difficult writing about the opposite sex.  I enjoy writing from different perspectives, and in Finding Sophie, it was interesting to go into Richard’s mind and share with the reader scenes from his past that might help explain, even a little, why he turned out to act in such ways.

MR: What’s the best and worst book review you’ve ever received?

LL:  The best review was from a staff member at Indigo/Chapters, Lana Shupe, whose passion for my books and way of describing my writing was humbling.  She chose me as staff pick at her large store for both of my books. 

The worst review was from a Reader’s Digest independently authored book contest.  It was clear the reader had not fully read nor understood Losing Cadence.  She described Cadence as having Stockholm Syndrome, which is not true.  Funny enough, I was in Stockholm speaking at a conference when I received the review.  It saddened me as she said my cover looked like “chick lit”, which I’ve never heard since, thankfully.   My editor helped me realize it happens to all writers, and to not let it get me down.  My publicist later said that bad reviews are a good thing and every writer needs some otherwise it looks like you fixed the reviews to only have great ones.

MR: If you could cast your characters in a Hollywood adaption of your book, who would play your characters?

LL:  Chris Pine for Richard, Isla Fisher for Cadence, Kit Harington for Christian. 

And I do have a film producer shopping my books, so a film or series may be in the future (fingers tightly crossed!)

MR: Is there one topic you would never write about as an author?

LL:  I would never write about something that I had no interest in or that required extensive research on topics that didn’t intrigue me.  That would feel like boring work rather than the fun I had writing my psychological thrillers!

MR: Is there a thing you’ve written that makes you cringe now?

 LL: Sometimes, when I think of a couple of the sex scenes in Losing Cadence, I feel embarrassed as to whom else in my network has read it.  That being said, these scenes needed to be described for the reader to understand Cadence’s abuse and they are not nearly as X-rated as some of the books out there these days!

MR: What are you currently reading? 

LL: The Sequel to Crazy Rich Asians: China Rich Girlfriend.  I enjoy these books, especially having experienced parts of China in September.  It’s such an alternate reality and the author does a wonderful job of bringing the reader into this wealthy and unique world.

To keep in touch with Dr. Lovett, please visit:

www.authorlauralovett.com

www.facebook.com/Author.Laura.Lovett

www.instagram.com/AuthorLauraLovett/

https://twitter.com/laura_lovett_ 

www.goodreads.com/AuthorLauraLovett

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1491788518/ref=x_gr_w_bb_sout?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_bb_sout_ca-20&linkCode=as2&camp=15121&creative=330641

https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/losing-cadence-2

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/losing-cadence-laura-lovett/1123559738?ean=9781491788516

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/losing-cadence/9781491788516-item.html?ikwid=losing+cadence&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0

https://www.amazon.ca/Finding-Sophie-Laura-Lovett/dp/1773740040/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1510760463&sr=8-1&keywords=finding+sophie

https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/finding-sophie-2

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/finding-sophie-laura-lovett/1127347057?ean=9781773740041

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/finding-sophie/9781773740041-item.html?ikwsec=Books&ikwidx=0

Author Interview Series-John E. Marriott

John E. Marriott

John E. Marriott is one of Canada’s premier professional wildlife and nature photographers, with images published worldwide by National Geographic, BBC Wildlife, Canadian Geographic, McLean's, and Reader’s Digest. He is an Associate Fellow with the International League of Conservation Photographers, a contributing editor for Outdoor Photography Canada magazine and the host of the popular web series EXPOSED with John E. Marriott.

John has produced six coffee table books and one guidebook, including three Canadian bestsellers: Banff & Lake Louise: Images of Banff National Park (2007), Wildlife of the Canadian Rockies: A Glimpse at Life on the Wild Side (2008), and The Canadian Rockies: Banff, Jasper & Beyond (2009).  He most recently released The Pipestones: The Rise and Fall of a Wolf Family in August 2016 and Tall Tales, Long Lenses: My Adventures in Photography in November 2017.

John is the owner/operator of Canadian Wildlife Photography Tours (www.canwildphototours.com), featuring wildlife photo adventures, workshops, and expeditions to out-of-the-way Canadian locales.  

John prides himself on being a conservation photographer known for photographing wilderness scenes and wild, free-roaming animals in their natural habitats. 

Marina Raydun: You’re a wildlife photographer and your passion for what you do is apparent in every one of your shots. Do you view what you do as a way of storytelling?

John E. Marriott: Absolutely, Marina. I love to be able to use visual elements to weave a story and to help pass along a message or to enhance a well-written tale. I think the best wildlife photographers are the ones that can tell stories with their imagery.

MR: What motivates you to get behind the camera?

JEM: At this point in my career (I’ve been doing this for over twenty years now), my primary motivation is conservation-oriented. I am extremely passionate about being an advocate for the animals I photograph and that motivates me to continue to get out in the field and tell my stories.

MR: What is the most difficult part about your artistic process? 

JEM: Staying up to date with editing images. I find it much easier to traipse about in the field than I do to sit at a computer staring at images and trying to decide which ones are worth sharing with the world.

MR: Your photography books are stunning. Editing down must be a real challenge! Can you tell us a little bit about the way you go about it?

JEM: It definitely is a challenge. When I do get motivated to sit down and edit and create a book project, I try to pick images that help the storyline, but also images that pair well together and enhance the overall look of the book.

MR: How did publishing your first book change your creative process? 

JEM: I don’t think publishing books has really changed my creative process, although I will admit that it my creative focus has shifted over time. Earlier in my career with my first few books, I had a definite commercial aim with the books, so I shot and included images that I probably wouldn’t take in my normal everyday photography life. For instance, there are a few photographs of the Town of Banff in my first coffee table book because that’s what appeals to tourists visiting Banff, but I’d never take pictures of the town for any other reason than because it was needed for the project. 

MR: How do you define a perfect shot? And how do you frame it? 

JEM: A perfect shot makes the viewer feel emotion and connect in some manner to the photograph. Sometimes it’s a ‘beautiful’ shot, sometimes it’s a shot that makes the viewer wonder how it was taken or what happened. They’re all perfect shots, but very different in makeup. The framing always matters, but it’s just one element of a perfect shot.

MR: What photographers influenced your thinking and photographing? 

JEM: I was most influenced by Michio Hoshino, who was a Japanese wildlife photographer that photographed extensively in Alaska in the early 1990s. I loved his style of including animals in vast landscapes and try to emulate that in some of my own photography.  

MR: If you could have drinks with any person, living or dead, who would it be? Why? 

JEM: That’s easy, I’d have my parents with me again for a gin and tonic and a few glasses of wine. They were instrumental in me becoming who I am and being as successful as I am. Remarkably, they never once asked me when I was going to “get a real job” on the long journey to become a professional photographer. 

MR: What do you think about when you’re alone in your car? 

JEM: Ha! Sadly, I either spend my time thinking about the Vancouver Canucks (my favourite NHL hockey team) or staring out the window scanning for wildlife. 

MR: Is there a book that people might be surprised to learn you love?

JEM: I don’t know if it would be a huge surprise to people, but my favourite book of all-time is Watership Down by Richard Adams. It’s a book about rabbits, but of course it’s so much more. I also loved Louis L’Amour’s as a teenager and at one point owned every single one of his titles.

For more information on John’s photography, please visit his website at www.wildernessprints.com

John on Social Media:

Facebook:     John E. Marriott Wildlife and Nature Photography

                        https://www.facebook.com/JohnEMarriottPhotography

Instagram:    johnemarriott

                        https://www.instagram.com/johnemarriott/

Twitter:           @JohnEMarriott

                        https://twitter.com/JohnEMarriott

YouTube:       EXPOSED with John E. Marriott

https://www.youtube.com/exposedwithjohnemarriott

John’s Books:

Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/John-E.-Marriott/e/B075716VJX/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1548310774&sr=8-1 

Indigo.ca: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/contributor/author/john-e.-marriott/

Author Interview-Kai Nicole

Kai Nicole

Kai Nicole holds degrees from Harvard University and Howard University School of Law.

She has worked in law, entertainment, technology (Silicon Valley), and has done business development consulting for multiple entrepreneurs.

A native Washingtonian, she has also lived in Boston and Atlanta. Kai is currently residing with her family in the suburbs of San Francisco.

Marina Raydun: Your background is in law. What made you want to write a dating guide?

Kai Nicole: I actually talk about this in my book, Date Like A Woman. But, it was a conversation on Twitter about dating that sparked the decision to write the book. My initiative, the accelerant, was the prolific number of male "dating gurus" online, and frankly everywhere, but so few women in the dating/relationship space, that I thought it was necessary to speak up in a bold way. A book seemed the best way to at least begin a factual discussion.

MR: Writing a book like Date Like a Woman is quite an undertaking. What kind of research did this project entail?

KN: Well, I went on a LOT of dates. I also did quite a bit of reading, e.g. newspaper articles, magazine articles, academic studies, and I did my own research, of course, by talking to a number of women about their dating experiences.

MR: How did publishing your first book change your writing process?

KN: I no longer have the time required to focus on my writing the way I used to. Between blogging and my other business ventures, my time to focus on researching and writing my next book is very limited. I am learning to adjust though!

MR: Is there one topic you would never write about as an author? Why?

KN: There are probably several; I don’t like to write about things that I am not knowledgeable about or have not experienced.

MR: What is the first experience you had when you learned that language had power?

KN: I am not sure about my first experience, however, I will say that my first trip to France was the place where I understood how important being able to use a language was. At the time I spoke very limited French but being on my own for several months forced me to have to communicate in everyday ways, renting an apartment, going to the post office, the laundromat, cashing a check, everyday living. That experience made me really appreciate the power of language and communication.

MR: What is your favorite genre to read?

KN: It used to be science fiction but now I find myself drawn to history and biography.

MR: What are you currently reading?

KN: I am currently reading Becoming Michelle Obama.

MR: Is there a book that changed your life?

KN: Yes, my own! The experience of writing and publishing my book has changed my life significantly. It’s an interesting experience when people read your own words and ask you about them.

MR: If you could have drinks with any person, living or dead, who would it be? Why?

KN: Michelle Obama. I admire her so much. I feel she is a person who, if you had the opportunity to sit down and talk to her, would give you all sorts of wonderful life advice.

MR: What do you think about when you’re alone in your car?

KN: Whether I should be making more videos for my Date Like A Woman fans! Seriously, I get a great response from my videos and for some reason when I am in the car is when I think about it the most.

To learn more about Kai Nicole, please visit http://www.datelikeawoman.com/

Second Person Singular

I met Sayed Kashua once. A friend of a friend, we were introduced after a screening of Write Down-I am an Arab, a documentary about a renowned Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish. I found him intimidating. Kashua, not Darwish. His mood that day can easily be explained by the timing of our meeting—we’d just come out of the discussion about the film and the life of Mahmoud Darwish, and inevitably, the conversation had turned to the life and status of Arab Israelis. My friend Mira Award (who’d adapted Darwish’s poetry to her original music for this project) and Sayed Kashua (who himself is an Israeli Arab journalist and novelist, writing primarily in Hebrew) were poised and polite in the face of some rather ignorant questions, but when it was over and we all headed over the a nearby bar somewhere around NYU, Sayed was visibly shaken and annoyed. By way of context, he had apparently recently moved to the United States with his family, vowing never to return to Israel. He spoke very fast, mostly in Arabic and Hebrew (neither one of which I speak), and I remember feeling very intimidated. He smoked a lot and left before anyone else did. I was relieved! Needless to say, I didn’t even think to mention that I am a writer—a title I still feel insecure about throwing around by way of a self-descriptor. Now, half a decade older, I realize what a wasted opportunity this meeting was! Not because I regret not making a “contact” in Mr. Kashua, but because, had I been braver and not allowed myself to become so easily flustered, I could’ve learned something from such an accomplished author! I’ve been kicking myself and wanting to read Sayed’s novels ever since.

I proposed reading Second Person Singular to my Facebook Book Club, MR. BOOK CLUB, but it lost to American Like Me. I, of course, knew that, win or lose, I was going to finally read this novel, and I have to say, I am glad that I did. I am embarrassed to admit that this is the first work of fiction I’ve read that was written by an Israeli Arab. I’ve read literature by Jewish Israelis leaning to the left of the local political spectrum, of course, but obviously that is not the same thing.

I must say, I don’t remember the last time I felt like I truly learned something from a novel. For example, I had no idea about the friction between Israeli Arabs from the Galilee vs those from the “triangle,” the Christian and Muslim Arabs etc. The way I see it, underneath it all, this book is about insecurity. On all levels—personal, cultural, political. No wonder I can relate! The writing is crystal clear, despite the translation from Hebrew, and truly pulls you in. On the whole, this is a fascinating and rewarding read and I highly recommend it.

Author Interview-Tosca Lee

Tosca Lee

About Tosca:

"Superior storytelling."
-Publishers Weekly

"One of the most gifted novelists writing today."
-Steven James, bestselling author 

THE LINE BETWEEN, Tosca's highly-anticipated new thriller, is out now! 

Tosca Lee is the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of ten books, including the House of Bathory duology (THE PROGENY and FIRSTBORN—in development for TV at the CW network), ISCARIOT, THE LEGEND OF SHEBA, and the Books of Mortals series with New York Times bestseller Ted Dekker. A notorious night-owl, she loves watching TV, eating bacon, playing video games with her kids, and sending cheesy texts to her husband. You can find Tosca at www.ToscaLee.com, on social media, or hanging around the snack table.  

Look for A SINGLE LIGHT, the follow-up to THE LINE BETWEEN, September 2019.

Marina Raydun: Your work is fearless—you wrote a first person novel about Judas! Where does the inspiration come from? Is there one topic you would never write about as an author? Why?

Tosca Lee: Ha! Well, don't think for a moment that there aren’t times when I’m completely terrified, because there are. Including most of the days that I’m on deadline.

The ideas are sometimes suggestions (in the case of Judas Iscariot and Elizabeth Bathory) and just curiosities on my part (in the case of Eve, and Lucian, the fallen angel in Demon).

There are definitely topics I wouldn’t want to touch—or, rather, minds I wouldn’t want to explore. Pedophiles. Hitler. There are just some places I don’t want to go. And that I know my readers, at least, don’t want to, either. 

Meanwhile, it was very interesting to explore the life of someone like Judas Iscariot. To imagine him as a child and, as an adult, as a product of his day. Strangely frightening and then revelatory to realize halfway through the book that I could see myself in him, or that in some aspects, I was writing my own story of seeking redemption and of my own agendas for God.

MR: What literary pilgrimages have you gone on? 

TL: My very first one was to Tintagel, Wales, and all of the sites associated with King Arthur. (One of these days I’m going to write a story about that legend. It has been a life goal of mine for decades.) 

Probably my most meaningful one was to Israel, for Iscariot. My most recent one was to Hungary and Croatia to research the “Blood Countess” Elizabeth Bathory, and the Habsburg Empire, for The Progeny. 

MR: You hold a degree from Smith and you studied at Oxford. What is the first experience you had when you learned that language had power? 

TL: I think when I realized the emotional power that novels had over me. How I’d close the cover of a book and feel this intense longing to return to that world. It was almost a kind of pain, that wish that it was real, and that I could go back.

MR: Since so much of your work is deeply rooted in history, you must spend a lot of your time researching. Is that the most difficult part about your artistic process or is there something you find more challenging? 

TL: Research is definitely grueling. But probably the hardest part of my process is just outlining and writing that first draft. Before you do that, the concept of the story is shiny and perfect. When you start to write, it’s like pulling strings out from ten sweaters at once and trying to macramé them together. It’s a big mess. I have OCD. I don’t do well with messes. 

MR: How did publishing your first book change your writing process? 

TL: I think each part of the journey brings us a lesson to learn from. My first novel experienced a level of unexpected success. It was great. It was also very distracting and even daunting for me as I wrote my second novel. I kept thinking, “What if this one doesn’t measure up?” It’s the reason I so often advise aspiring writers to write their second—and third, and fourth—novels as they’re trying to publish their first.

MR: What’s the best and worst book review you’ve ever received?

TL: The best review is any review in which you can tell that the reader was deeply moved, very entertained, or just had to share their thoughts right then. Because that's what we read fiction for: to move and entertain us—whether it’s by scaring us, or making us cry, or laugh. We want to escape for a while. Sure, we might want to learn something along the way, but if that’s all we wanted, we’d all be reading nonfiction. So if the reader has felt transported, then I’m happy.  

The worst reviews are the vitriolic ones. The ones where a reader didn’t like the story, and they’re going to be nasty rather than constructive. I especially hate to see this happen to debut authors. Trust me, authors tear themselves down a thousand times an hour while they’re writing already. They don’t need more of that!

MR: If you could have drinks with any person, living or dead, who would it be? Why? 

TL: My mother’s mother. I never had the chance to meet her; she was killed before I was born.

And also Oprah. Because Oprah. 

MR: What is your favorite genre to read? 

TL: I really don’t have a favorite, though these days I read more suspense and thrillers because that’s what I’m writing. But I love historical fiction, and essays by authors like David Sedaris and Anne Lamott, suspense, romance, and fantasy and sci-fi.

MR: Is there a book that people might be surprised to learn you love?

TL: I dunno. My nickname growing up was “Weird Tosca,” so I’m not sure anything I do would surprise anyone. 

MR: What are you currently reading? 

TL: A World Lit Only By Fire by William Manchester.

More about A LINE BETWEEN:

In this frighteningly believable thriller from New York Times bestselling author Tosca Lee, an extinct disease re-emerges from the melting Alaskan permafrost to cause madness in its victims. For recent apocalyptic cult escapee Wynter Roth, it’s the end she’d always been told was coming.

When Wynter Roth is turned out of New Earth, a self-contained doomsday cult on the American prairie, she emerges into a world poised on the brink of madness as a mysterious outbreak of rapid early onset dementia spreads across the nation.

As Wynter struggles to start over in a world she’s been taught to regard as evil, she finds herself face-to-face with the apocalypse she’s feared all her life—until the night her sister shows up at her doorstep with a set of medical samples. That night, Wynter learns there’s something far more sinister at play and that these samples are key to understanding the disease.

Now, as the power grid fails and the nation descends into chaos, Wynter must find a way to get the samples to a lab in Colorado. Uncertain who to trust, she takes up with former military man Chase Miller, who has his own reasons for wanting to get close to the samples in her possession, and to Wynter herself.

Filled with action, conspiracy, romance, and questions of whom—and what—to believe, The Line Between is a high-octane story of survival and love in a world on the brink of madness. 

“Everything you want in a thriller.” 

—Alex Kava, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Breaking Creed 

“Beautifully written and deeply unnerving!”

—Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of V-Wars

“Be prepared to lose sleep.”  

—Brenda Novak, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Face Off 

The Line Between is in development for television! Learn more here: https://deadline.com/2019/01/edward-burns-radar-developing-the-line-between-thriller-novel-for-television-1202538907/

 To learn more about Tosca Lee and her work, please visit https://toscalee.com

Nine Perfect Strangers

I’m just gonna say it—I love Liane Moriarty. Granted, I was a little late to the party, only giving her books a try two years ago; I, therefore, may be overcompensating a bit. I read Big Little Lies, What Alice Forgot, and My Husband’s Secret. Ms. Moriarty’s voice is unlike anyone else’s and I cannot get enough. I’ll be honest, Nine Perfect Strangers is not my favorite novel by Ms. Moriarty, but it is a worthy, enjoyable read. It was my on-line book club’s official November/December selection. Join us here: MR. BOOK CLUB.

Currently, I am wrapping up a manuscript with multiple points of view so getting my hands on a book with that many POVs written by one of my favorite authors was godsent. Quality writing is indeed inspiring. On this front, Ms. Moriarty did not disappoint—nine characters were introduced effortlessly and naturally. Lots to learn from the master! The multiple voices were not overwhelming and it was helpful to hear inner dialogue and different perspectives on the previously introduced conflict. This, of course, was the highlight of the book for me.

Each character was distinct and different and developed to a different degree, but Masha stood out to me for a rather obvious reason. I’m naturally hypersensitive to representation of Russian-speaking characters in books and movies, and here is Masha—the gorgeous, know-it-all, arrogant health resort owner. Naturally, I was on guard from the second I read her name. I need not have been, as it turns out. Not because Masha was portrayed as a highly relatable, likable starlet, but because she was not. Highly educated and of enviable will power, Masha doesn’t hide her distaste for those around her. She feels superior to them not because she is naturally better than them but because she fought and worked hard for everything in her new life in Australia (despite immeasurable trauma, as it turns out). I’ve met women like Masha in my local immigrant community. She’s well-written. She’s believable. I didn’t like her but I understood where she was coming from.

The ending was the only thing that truly bugged me about the novel, to be honest. And even that’s only because it seemed to drag unnecessarily, with multiple updates on the characters in the future.

All in all, I recommend this book to anyone who likes an easy but quality read.

Author Interview-Amanda McDonough

Amanda McDonough

Amanda McDonough was born in 1990 and diagnosed with hearing loss at the age of 4. As she grew older, her hearing steadily declined as she battled to hide her ongoing hearing loss from her family, friends, teachers, and the world. Despite facing unbelievable challenges, she succeeded in; getting straight A’s in school, having a successful child acting career, and leading a fairly “normal” life. But one day, during the most difficult part of her college career, she awoke to discover that her remaining hearing was completely gone. She had lost 100% of her hearing in both ears. All of a sudden, she was unable to communicate with the people around her. She did not know sign language, could no longer speak well, and could not lip read. She became isolated from the world and had to finally face her hearing loss, accept that she was deaf, and find a way to finish college without being able to hear. She found the strength to teach herself to talk well again, to lip-read, and to use sign language and set out on an emotional rollercoaster ride to discover who she was and who she wanted to become. As a late deafened adult Amanda pursued higher education at California Polytechnic University, Pomona where she received her Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Business Administration- International Business and Marketing Management, with an emphasis in Entertainment Marketing.
McDonough currently resides in Los Angeles, California and enjoys successful inspirational speaking and acting careers. Amanda’s recent television, theater and film credits include: ABC's "Speechless," NBC’s “Bad Judge,” ABC Family’s “Switched at Birth,” Chris Lilly’s Pilot series “Just Us Guys,” "Our Town" with Tony nominated Deaf West Theater and films such as “Listen” directed by Michaela Higgins and "Silent Star" directed by Steven Sanders. Her films "Passengers," "Loud and Clear, " and "Lady Electric" have gone on to show in various festivals (such as Cannes) and win awards.  Amanda's life story has even been the subject of documentaries such as USC's "Amanda" and radio broadcast stories such as KCRW's "Silence."" She has also been interviewed about her life and upcoming book by NBC News and Fox News, as well as for dozens of online articles and blogs.

Marina Raydun: You hid your hearing loss from those around you growing up. Looking back at it now, why do you think you chose to do that?

Amanda McDonough: I started losing my hearing when I was only 4 years old. At that time, there weren’t any openly hard of hearing role models in the mainstream media for me to look up to. I was young. I had no exposure to any Deaf people who could show me that life without hearing would be ok. So, out of fear, I chose to hide my hearing loss. I did the best I could to “fit in” with my hearing peers and hearing family. I tried to ignore my struggles and hope they would go away. It took me 18 years to realize that wasn’t the best course of action.  

MR: What would you say to a hard of hearing child who may be contemplating doing the same?

AM: Don’t. The biggest loss I suffered as a child wasn’t the loss of my hearing, it was the loss of the opportunity to figure out who I actually was. By hiding my hearing loss and constantly acting the way I thought society wanted me to act I delayed my opportunity to find my identity. I also missed out on opportunities to meet other people like me, to gain full access to education, to learn sign language, to benefit from Deaf culture, and even to receive college scholarships.

Be you. There is no better person to be.

MR: You’d been losing your hearing slowly over about two decades and often escaped into your imagination. Is that when you first started writing?

AM: I never saw myself as a writer prior to writing my first book. I even put off “Ready to be Heard” for nearly a full year after the publisher’s requested I write it. It wasn’t until I realized that other people could benefit from my personal struggles and my unique perspective that I started writing and learned that I actually loved it!

MR: What is the first experience you had when you learned that language had power?

AM: Language and words have always been powerful for me. Art using language has always been an outlet that I turned to during rough moments in my life. I loved books growing up, theater, poetry, music, and lyrics. Learning Sign Language, however, was a completely other worldly experience for me. It led me to my identity, provided me with support, culture, friends, accessibility, and hope. After all, is there anything more powerful than belonging and being able to share your thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly to a group of peers willing to “listen?”

MR: How did learning American Sign Language as an adult affect your appreciation for careful word choice? Did it affect your writing?

AM: Absolutely! Learning ASL has allowed me to see the world through new eyes! It definitely effected how I wrote my book. Learning the language and the culture, that comes with it, gave me the vocabulary to explaining how I identified at different points in my life and in my hearing loss journey. I started the journey as Hard of Hearing, became deaf, and then chose to identify as Deaf after learning ASL. So, you will see a lot of references to the importance of identity stressed through language and vocabulary (such as little d vs big D- deaf) in “Ready to be Heard.” 

MR: What sort of amplification do you currently use? (Do you use Cochlear implants or hearing aids)

AM: I have 100% natural hearing loss in both ears. I am profoundly deaf with one cochlear implant on the right side of my head.  

MR: What do miss hearing the most when you What is your favorite part about being able to turn it off before going to bed at night? do just that?

AM: My implant helps me navigate a hearing dominated world. However, I love being able to turn off my cochlear implant to enjoy the peace and silence, at will, during the day. Having the option to simply take my implant off makes so many of my life experiences better! For example, the silence benefits sleeping, writing in coffee shops, relaxing on long flights in crowded planes, watching dubbed foreign movies (with captions), walking by construction sites, and being able to nap literally anywhere I want! Being Deaf definitely has its perks!

MR: What does literary success look like to you?

AM: I get these amazing letters, emails, and messages from kids and adults, that I have never met, telling me that they related to something in my book, were empowered, or felt less alone after reading “Ready to be Heard.” That is success to me. I set out to help others. Naturally, I would like to reach as many people as possible with my story in the hopes that it can impact them. I definitely wouldn’t be against making the New York Times Best Sellers List, being on Oprah’s recommended reading list, explaining hearing loss to Ellen DeGeneres on her talk show, or watching the film adaptation of my life. However, at the end of the day, the only thing that really matters is that my work leaves a positive mark on the lives of others.

MR: What’s the best and worst book review you’ve received?

AM: My “best” review is actually hilarious! It was one of the very first Amazon reviews I ever received. My mother sometimes uses my Amazon account to order things for herself and my dad. When “Ready to be Heard” came out, she wanted to leave me a review. So, my mom, logged onto MY Amazon Prime account, wrote a beautiful review of MY book with MY name as the reviewer! When someone brought the review to my attention, I laughed for a good 15 minutes, then decided to leave it up as private joke.

I recently received my “worst” book review. All my reviews before this one had been 5 stars; so, when I saw the 2 stars my heart sunk at first. Then I read the review and found myself grateful. I could have been upset that someone didn’t love my work. Yet, I chose to see this review as a gift. It reminded me that not everyone is going to like my book and that is ok. Life isn’t perfect. I am definitely not perfect. I still have a lot of learning and growing to do, so I take all the good reviews and the “bad” reviews and chose to learn from them.

 MR: You were an actress before you were a writer. How is your artistic process similar across the two media?

AM: As an actress I have always been a story teller. My job has always been to bring scripts to life and help people experience new characters, emotions, perspectives, and worlds. Writing is similar in that I am still the storyteller; the difference is that I use my words and personal experience as the tool to get the story across instead of my acting skills.

 MR: How did publishing your first book change your writing process?

AM: I have learned so much from this experience! I have had some amazing mentors to help guide me, but there is nothing like learning by doing. I threw out the first two full 300-page drafts of “Ready to be Heard.” Those drafts helped me figured out what worked for me and what didn’t as a writer. I was then finally able to develop the writing process for myself that I used to write the published version and some day will use to write other book.

MR: Were your book to be adapted into a movie, who would play you?

AM: Is Betty White available? Just kidding. A film adaptation of “Ready to be Heard” is a future possibility; so, I’ll definitely need to start seriously contemplating this question. Any suggestions?

 To learn more about Amanda’s book, please visit:

www.ReadyToBeHeard.com

To keep in touch with Amanda, please visit:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBERhpWcbrcDEsM0A0D36rg

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialamandamcdonough/

            http://www.facebook.com/readytobeheard

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ActingAmanda

            http://www.twitter.com/readytobeheard

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanda_mcdonough/   https://www.instagram.com/readytobeheard

This Refugee's Christmas

Winter Show at a Day Care I hated with a passion, circa roughly 1987-1988

My first holiday season in America, I thought “Merry Christmas” translated as “Happy New Year.” And it wasn’t just because between all of my two friends and myself we could barely string together enough words to form a sentence in English; it was because, growing up in a country that no longer exists (namely-Soviet Union), New Year’s was all we knew. Sure, we’d heard of Christmas (though Russian-Orthodox Christmas is celebrated in January), but to have a whole week off from school for it was unheard of. If you’re going to be off, it has to be for New Year’s! DUH! The holiday cards looked similar enough, anyway.

To this day, I seem to confuse people both ethnically and religiously. And it’s a complex matter, I’ll give you that. Russian-Speaking Jews will rarely identify themselves as Russian, and that’s for a good reason: decades were spent convincing us that we’re not Russian! Sure, we were citizens of the good ol’ Soviet Union, just like the “real Russians,” but ethnically, everywhere it mattered, our Jewishness was pointed out. I’m talking birth certificates and teacher’s rosters. Ironically (or not), officially, there was no religion back in the old country so all things Judaism bypassed me completely growing up. Same was theoretically true of my Christian peers, though, unlike Jews, who rarely liked drawing attention to themselves, in the days of Perestroika, the “Russian” folk did start wearing crucifixes and occasionally attending church services in the open. But that one thing that united us all was New Year’s Eve.

New Year’s was this totally godless holiday that celebrated ousting the old year and hailing in the new, complete with a new year’s tree, presents, and Father (or Grandfather, depending on your translation of choice) Frost [think Santa Clause but in a different getup and accompanied by his granddaughter…I don’t know why, but somebody should look into it]. Yes, that looks and sounds exactly like Christmas (well, minus that suspicious “granddaughter” situation). Apparently, the whole thing started back in the early years of the socialist regime, when all things religious were outlawed but the Party leaders recognized that the people still craved that winter holiday. New Year’s Eve was thus sanctioned. Or so the story goes. Whenever I’m asked to explain it (and that’s usually when I bust out my holiday lights and a decked out tree), I say, it’s like Christmas, only six days later and minus the whole Jesus thing. But literally everything else is the same. And boy, was it a big deal! It was special and wonderful, and we stayed up half the night watching the same movie year after year (Irony of Fate-it’s awesome, watch it!). You won’t meet an immigrant/refugee/ex-pat from whatever republic that used to belong to the Soviet Union who does not have warm and fuzzy feelings about New Year’s eve (and day). It was the holiday for every Soviet child and adult. Sure, we had birthdays and Victory Day and May Day and International Women’s Day, but it was for New Year’s Eve that the fancy china came out and salad Olivier was made in bulk. That shit is not easy to let go.

Two+ decades of an immigrant life experience, no matter the good, the bad, or the ugly, leaves you jaded whether you like it or not. It’s called growing up. Eventually, New Year’s, being of little interest to my American friends in any way that felt familiar, slowly lost its luster. I no longer await it with butterflies in my stomach, I no longer make wishes for the new year, it no longer feels like starting anew. Thus this holiday remains one of the very few things I miss about my country of birth; and much like it, it remains in my past. But you know what tries to fill that hole every year? Christmas! No, not in its religious sense. Mine is a commercial Christmas most people complain about. The chocolates, the gift-wrapping, the glorious tree. It’s the closest thing I’ve got to New Year’s that I can actually share with those around me and I’m sticking to it. That’s when my family gathers (yes, around a table full of Chinese food containers because one never tires of living a stereotype) and exchanges New Year’s presents…all the while listening to Christmas songs. I have a playlist, you guys! It’s three hours long!

Sure, you can add a layer to this: I’m a refugee, an immigrant, forever desperate to blend, to adapt, to finally be American. No wonder I’m grasping at Christmas! And you know what? Maybe you wouldn’t be wrong on some level. And can you blame me? It is here, in America, after all, that I finally felt that it was okay to look and be different from my peers because, by definition, everyone in America was always meant to look and be different from each other (right?!). My teachers no longer saw “Jewish” next to my name when going down the list of students and that alone felt like feat even back in 1994. And yet, every time somebody expresses skepticism over my affinity for Christmas and reminds me that Hanukkah begins at sundown, I wonder if it’s my semitic looks that prompt the conversation or the well-intentioned political correctness. And that triggers all sorts of trauma—I am again reminded of the fact that, if I am to forget that I’m Jewish, somebody will remind me. Even in America. But I digress…

So yes, forever the agnostic, and yes, one hopeful Jewish citizen of the world, I can’t see why I can’t have both—latkes for Hanukkah and a whole lot of outdoor Christmas lights. Hell, if I wouldn’t be so keenly aware that I am simultaneously judged by both Christians and Jews every Christmas (for being an impostor by Christians and a traitor by Jews, from what I am able to gather), I’d go even more out: stockings and caroling! Maybe next year.

2018 in Books

Eighteen books in 2018 is surely not a record by any measure but I’m easily impressed. My eternal gratitude to Kindle and Audible because, without these modern world marvels, my number would be just a tad sadder. I hope something on this list piques your interest. Please share your favorites!

Happy New Year!

Check out Part I of my 2018 list, January through June, here: https://www.marinaraydun.com/blog/2018/7/18/six-months-in-books

Part II

Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessle

4-stars

I’m a fan of Marisha Pessle’s writing. I absolutely loved Night Film so when I saw a new title to her name, I had to jump on it. YA Thriller is not my typical choice of a genre but, like I said, if I like the author, I’m loyal enough to give it a try. The book did not disappoint. It was expertly written and scary in the way it conveyed inevitability of our existence. It’s a very engaging title.

Brain on Fire by Susannah Calahan

5-stars

This is one of the scariest books I’ve ever read. Mostly because it’s a real story! It was sobering to be reminded just how fragile our bodies and minds are, how the doctors are not magicians in white lab coats. A young, presumably healthy woman not being taken seriously by medical professionals is also personally relatable (and thus even more petrifying). On the negative side, since I listened to the book on Audible, I have to say I hated the narrator’s unnecessary accenting of various characters.

A Terrible Country by Keith Gessen

5-stars

Given that all the action takes back in the “old country,” of course many names were mispronounced by the narrator here too, but the book is brilliant. Potentially relatable only to those like me—transplants born in one country/culture/society and raised in another, but there is so much tangible nostalgia here. Not for the “motherland,” but for that delicate, fragile feeling of belonging to a place, to a people. Much like the protagonist, many of us feel like we don’t belong—not with the old, not with the new. This is a novel full of beautiful ache. Highly recommend.

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekknen

5-stars

All I can say is WOW! One of the most complex novels I’ve ever read. Nothing about it was predictable. I simply could not put it down! Additionally, what’s fascinating is that two authors wrote this together in real time. This is unheard of! Sometimes you hear about two authors collaborating, but it’s usually done in editing each other etc; these authors got together every night on-line and actually wrote together. Incredible. Highly recommend!

This One is Mine by Maria Semple

3.5 stars

Maria Semple is one of my favorite authors, but this is my least favorite book by her. It’s a great set of characters (and the set itself is a good example of how characters don’t need to be likable to be relatable), and I loved the multiple points of view, but I didn’t long to get back to the book whenever I stepped away from it. Also, the Audible narrator repeatedly mispronounced Hermès. It was distracting.

Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem

3-stars

I started a Facebook Book Club by the name MR Book Club (please join!), and this book was our first official selection. The novel is being adapted for the big screen by Ed Norton so I couldn’t wait to dive in. I must admit, I expected it to be better. It’s a fascinating study of Tourette’s, and I love that the protagonist has special needs, but as a thriller, it didn’t really work for me.

Bring Me Back by B.A. Paris

3.5-stars

I loved B.A. Paris’ other books so I was excited to get my hands on this one. It didn’t disappoint but having read so many books by the same author in a short period of time, it wasn’t as unpredictable for me as it would be for somebody else. The writing is solid. Recommend!

Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty

5-stars

Liane Moriarty cannot possibly disappoint me. Another fun, enlightening read with some gorgeous character development. It’s a long one but oh so satisfying. Highly recommend!

What have you read this year?

May 2019 bring us all lots of glorious storytelling!

~Marina