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Kunati author Cheryl Kaye Tardif is most compared to which successful authors?
I was asked this question recently and it really got me thinking about the authors I've been compared to and the authors who have inspired me in the past.
This was my answer:
Since each book I’ve written is different, it’s very interesting to see the variety of writers I am considered most like, but I have to agree with people who have made these comparisons.
For Whale Song, I have been compared mostly to Jodi Picoult, Luanne Rice, Sue Monk Kidd, and Madeleine L’Engle.
The River fans compare me mostly to Michael Crichton, Dean Koontz and Dan Brown.
Divine Intervention fans compare me to J.D. Robb (aka Nora Roberts), Kay Hooper, Iris Johansen, Tanya Huff and Michael Connelly.
If you asked me which authors have inspired me, I would say that two authors inspired me from the time I was a teen--Stephen King and Dean Koontz. I was always fascinated not just by their stories but by how they told them, the characters and their back stories, the vivid descriptions, foreshadowing, fast pace, red herrings and mounting suspense. I used to ask myself why they wrote something a certain way. I'd reread lines that I found particularly captivating. I saw every paragraph as part of a design, something magical, scary and all too real at times.
Over the years, other authors have inspired me. Nora Roberts (writing as J.D. Robb), Sandra Brown, Michael Crichton, Luanne Rice. They all write about situations that I've found fascinating. Some ask the 'what if this happened?' scenario, while others stick to real world happenings. Yet each of them showed me that all is possible in the world of fiction. So I suppose it is no wonder that my work is sometimes compared to these wonderful writers. And I am truly honored.
I do find it interesting that with Whale Song, a much softer, more emotional story, I am compared to women authors. With my grittier, crime-related, paranormal suspense Divine Intervention, I am compared mostly to women. But with The River, a fast-paced techno-thriller, I am compared mainly to men. I love it! And I look forward to the day I write something that makes readers think of Stephen King and Dean Koontz. Hmmm, maybe I should write something cold and creepy under the pen name of Stephanie Koontz or Deana King. ;-)
Please leave a comment and tell me which author I remind you of, for which of my books, and maybe why. I'd really appreciate this and it'll help keep me on track as to the kinds of stories I want to be writing. The comment button is below.
author of Whale Song, The River and Divine Intervention
London Bachelor finds true love with American actress
In TV's The Bachelor: London Calling, the first international Bachelor, Matt Grant, a 27-year-old global financier from London, England, finds true love with a young American actress, Shayne Lamas from Toluka Lake, California. Shayne played Emily in the daytime soap General Hospital and is the daughter of actor Lorenzo Lamas, probably best known as Vince in the 1990's TV show Renegade.
I watched the very first episode out of curiosity about Matt, and I was very impressed with him. I missed a few episodes, then got hooked a few episode in. Unlike some past Bachelors I've seen, I always felt that Matt showed great respect toward all the women. Sure there was a lot of affection shown, but you could tell it was genuine, and it seemed obvious, especially at the end, that he was truly in this for love.
My impression of Shayne was probably similar to many. When we first see her, she comes across as a pampered princess and I wondered if maybe she was a 'daddy's girl', which I felt could cause some problems for Matt. But the more I saw of her, the more I actually started to like her. Yes, she's the bleach blond little starlet, but that girl has a lot more depth than any of us probably gave her credit for in the beginning. I am glad that my impression changed.
One of the scenes that made me rethink her character and motive was the time she was bluntly honest early on and said she was high maintenance. It was actually quite a charming scene. I was also impressed with how she tried to step between two of the other women who were in the midst of a heated debate. That made me realize she's a lot more caring than she may first appear. Episode after episode, she continued to impress me as a young woman who has experienced more than most 22-year-olds and was ready to settle down.
I'm a mother of a beautiful daughter who is almost 18, not much younger than Shayne, and I think too often we judge people based on their appearance. If they're too attractive, they must be vain. Or spoiled. Or a brat. I think Shayne probably got a bad rap because she's beautiful, fashionable and her life has been one of sun, shopping and movie stars. We can't blame her for that. What I like most about her is her spunk and her genuine affection for her own family and for Matt, which she showed early on. And this girl has brains too; she's NOT a bubbleheaded blond.
I have watched other Bachelor shows in the past--not all, but some. I saw last season's huge disappointment with Brad and DeAnna Pappas. Ironically, DeAnna was on the same front page of The Times-Herald (her hometown newspaper in Newnan, Georgia) as I was when I was involved with the Alliance for Children's Enrichment and a Christmas book drive for teens. DeAnna became one of my MySpace friends, but I notice that there is now only a fan club. I believe she can't discuss the show because she is going to be in the upcoming season of The Bachelorette. All the best and good luck, DeAnna! I hope you find the man of your dreams.
In the past I always seem to root for the underdog who is never chosen in the end. I began cheering Shayne on in the past 5 or so episodes, and when tonight's episode started, I swore that if he didn't pick her, I'd never watch The Bachelor again. :)
Fact is, I loved the romance. Shayne grew on me quickly, and I know she would have been devastated if she hadn't been the one Matt went through life with. I hope that one day I see my daughter glow the way Shayne did. I pray that my daughter will find the love of her life and a man who will treat her the way Matt did Shayne.
Matt, Shayne, I wish you all the very best in life. You both deserve to find love, experience it and keep it. As a wife of nearly 22 years, I can tell you that Shayne knows exactly what marriage needs and takes. As she said, it takes work. It takes dedication, commitment, recommitment and above all, love.
Although I do feel sorry for Chelsea, Shayne's competition, I think this was the most romantic Final Rose show, and certainly the purest, sweetest display of love and adoration I've seen on this series. Thank you to The Bachelor: London Calling for an enjoyable season.
Borders Tries About-Face on Shelves Counting on Covers to Sell, Bookseller Changes Display While Cutting Titles Stocked
*THIS ARTICLE BY JEFFREY A. TRACHTENBERG HAS BEEN EXCERPTED. It recently appeared in Jerry D. Simmons' newsletter - TIPS for WRITERS from the PUBLISHING INSIDER. It has been reprinted here with permission from Jerry D. Simmons, http://www.writersreaders.com, and the author.
Borders Group Inc. has decided you can sell a book by its cover.
In a radical move aimed at jump-starting sales, the nation's second-largest book retailer is sharply increasing the number of titles it displays on shelves with the covers face-out. Because that takes up more room than the traditional spine-out style, the new approach will require a typical Borders superstore to shrink its number of titles by 5% to 10%.
Reducing inventory goes against the grain of booksellers' efforts over the past 25 years or so. Chains like Borders and Barnes & Noble Inc., the nation's largest book retailer, became household names with superstores that stocked as many as 150,000 titles or more. The rise of Amazon made it even more important for stores to offer deep inventories.
Borders has little choice but to experiment. Competition from the Internet, videogames and other electronic devices has flattened growth in book sales in recent years.
The new display strategy is the brainchild of CEO George Jones, who says he learned when he was a buyer at Dillard's Inc. early in his career that dresses sell better when the entire garment is shown rather than hung sleeve-out. So he recently decided to test sales of books shown with the cover visible at a newly built prototype store in Ann Arbor, Mich., where the company has its headquarters. Results were so encouraging after the first two weeks -- sales of individual titles were 9% higher than at similar Borders stores -- that all of the retailer's superstores have been told to adopt the new strategy.
The retailer says customers throughout the country should be able to see the difference in displays within six weeks. While books shown face-out will still be in the overall minority, as many as three times the titles as in the past will be shelved with covers showing. Certain categories, such as books about food, cooking, travel, art and photography -- and children's books in particular -- lend themselves to the new approach.
Shoppers in the Borders store where the new face-out display was tested Borders says customers visiting its prototype store said their impression was that more books were available. Even so, its new strategy -- which at a typical superstore will mean a reduction of anywhere from 4,675 to 9,350 titles from the former total of around 93,500 -- could make Borders vulnerable to a marketing campaign from Barnes & Noble that promotes its own vast selection. The average 25,000 square-foot Barnes & Noble superstore stocks approximately 125,000 to 150,000 book titles, and the chain says it has no intention of cutting back.
The Borders push may affect small publishing houses, which can often place a debut novel in Borders because it has such a broad selection. Whether that will be more difficult in the future is unclear.
From Cheryl:
I have always bought books that are facing out, unless I've gone in for a specific title. It is always the cover that grabs me first, then the author's name, then the title and back cover or inside flap text. This is how I pick a book.
What about you? What makes you buy a book? Does it matter to you if it's facing out?
If you're an author, have you ever gone into a store and turned your books face out? :)
Book Review: The Girls
I've always been an avid reader and for the past few months I've been reading novels by Canadian authors as part of The Canadian Book Challenge. Yesterday, I finished reading The Girls by Lori Lansens and I decided to share my review of her book with you here.
The Girls by Lori Lansens
4 solid stars!
ISBN 13: 978-0316066341
Publish date: April 2007
Trade paperback; 368 pages; $13.99
Fiction; Family Drama
Recommended for: Anyone who enjoys an emotional tale of love, loss and life.
Unbelievably believable!
Lyrical, poetic prose opens this heartwarming and unique story of conjoined twins Rose and Ruby and the lives they led, both separately as two individuals with different likes and dislikes and together as sisters who must rely on each other solely for their very existence. Joined at the head, ‘The Girls’―as they are known as in their small Ontario town―are raised by loving adoptive parents Aunt Lovey and Uncle Stash, after their birth mother disappears shortly after giving birth. The conjoined twins are considered the pride of the town, not an oddity, and they rise above what most of us would think of as a handicap or disability and love each other unconditionally.
The Girls is a diary told in two voices―Rose’s and Ruby’s. Rose encourages her sister to contribute to what will become their life story and although she does most of the writing, both characters come to life as they observe the lives of everyone they meet, sharing their innermost thoughts, hopes, fears and dreams with the reader. I found myself so connected to Rose and Ruby that I didn’t want their story to end, and when it did, I was left with a bittersweet ache for more.
The first paragraph reads like pure, sweet poetry that is sure to haunt any reader; it is what first grabbed me and pulled at my heart. The Girls opens like this:
“I have never looked into my sister’s eyes. I have never bathed alone. I have never stood in the grass at night and raised my arms to a beguiling moon. I’ve never used an airplane bathroom. Or worn a hat. Or been kissed like that…So many things I’ve never done, but oh, how I’ve been loved. And, if such things were to be, I’d live a thousand lives as me, to be loved so exponentially.”
Lori Lansens is an extraordinary Canadian author who paints a picture of rural Ontario farm life and two distinct lives with a magic wand of effortlessness, vividly colorful description and heartfelt compassion. At times you’ll forget you’re reading a novel because it reads with such clarity and believability. In fact, this novel is so full of realism, you may find yourself flipping to the author’s photograph at the back of the book to see if she is a conjoined twin. Instead, you’ll find her sitting alone at one end of a sofa, as if waiting for someone to join her.
The Girls: A Novel is a MUST READ for anyone who enjoys an emotional tale of love, loss and the challenges of life. Other books of comparable emotional impact: The Lovely Bones: A Novel and Mothering Mother: A Daughter's Humorous and Heartbreaking Memoir and of course my novel Whale Song: A Novel , "a compelling story of love and family and the mysteries of the human heart."
A phone call from a fan
I don't believe in coincidence; I might think, "Wow, this is a coincidence!" but I truly believe that things happen for a reason, because they're meant to happen, because we need them to happen, because we need to learn something. So really, these happenings are non-coincidences. If I've confused you, read on and I think it will become more clear.
In the beginning, there was non-coincidence #1: A while ago, a woman passed by my table where I was signing books in a mall and she ended up stopping. When she left, she had bought Divine Intervention for herself, The River for her sister (or mom, I forget) and Whale Song for her daughter. She gave me her business card. She worked at Ben Moss, a jewelry store I had never bought from before.
Non-coincidence #2, 3, 4, 5, 6: This woman read The River and Divine Intervention and loved them. Then she read Whale Song. She cried through parts of it and was surprised by her own personal connections--some of the characters were native, she's native (or part); a painting is described and she has the exact painting on a drum in her home; a family death occurs in the story and her grandmother had just died; one of the main character's spirit guides is a wolf and this woman's spirit guide is a wolf (she's also connected to killer whales); in the novel, Nana says "Forgiveness sets you free" and this woman's grandmother always said "Forgiveness will set you free."
Non-coincidence #7: Last year, my husband and I decided to look at wedding rings; he'd lost his and I was considering switching to white gold. We checked out a few different stores over a couple of days, and then bought rings at...Ben Moss, but not the one this woman worked at.
Non-coincidence #8: I took a ring into my Ben Moss in Southgate to get it sized. It's the grad ring that my parents gave me (an opal and 2 emeralds) and I want to give it to MY daughter for her grad. I could have taken it to another store that's much closer, but for some strange reason I didn't.
Non-coincidence #9: Today I got a phone call from Amber at Ben Moss. She was going to tell me my ring was ready, but she never got that far. Instead, she switched gears on me and caught me off guard. "Are you the author?" Thinking about it now, I guess I was pretty bold to say "yes". I mean, she could have been talking about some other author--someone famous. Amber then told me that she was the woman who stopped by my table at another mall when she used to work at another Ben Moss location. Then she told me about non-coincidences 2-6 above.
Non-coincidence #10: Someone else could have called me or my ring could have been ready tomorrow when Amber isn't working. But Amber was meant to call me. She was meant to share her feelings about what I had written and I was meant to hear how my books had touched her life. That is the best gift any author could possibly receive! It's not every day I get a phone call from a fan and her words left me nearly speechless at times. This series of non-coincidences made my day--and probably my month.
So the next time you think something is a "coincidence", remember: there is no such thing as coincidence. Everything happens as it should, for a reason that only the Universe/God/Higher Power knows for sure. We can only go with it, ride the waves and learn to enjoy the journey while at the same time sharing our gifts with others.
Thank you, Amber.
Ma premiere critique de livre en francais! (My first book review in French!)
I received my first book review in French today. It came someone in the Masse family who I have never met.
Looking for the PERFECT Mother's Day gift for Mom?
Need a gift for Mom?
Mother's Day is just over 2 weeks away, so if you haven't bought something for dear Mom, then now is the time.
- Is your Mom an avid reader?
- Does she like soft, family dramas filled with emotion, authors like Luanne Rice, Jodi Picoult or Sara Gruen?
- Does she prefer paranormal suspense with sizzling romance, like Kay Hooper, Iris Johansen or J.D. Robb novels?
- Or does she like adventurous yet creepy thrillers full of fast-paced action and twists and turns, like Dean Koontz and Michael Crichton?
If your Mom fits any of these reader profiles, then I have the perfect book for her, and the perfect gift for you to give.
WHALE SONG - a "compelling" family drama that explores family ties, love, tragedy, deception, sacrifice, forgiveness and hope.
"Whale Song is deep and true, a compelling story of love and family and the mysteries of the human heart...a beautiful, haunting novel." --New York Times bestselling novelist Luanne Rice, author of Beach Girls
The benefits of giving your Mom WHALE SONG:
- It's a novel that will change how she views life...and death.
- It has been known to bring strong emotions to the surface, allowing for personal reflection.
- It has been responsible for healing broken relationships.
- It has brought mothers and daughter closer together.
- It has helped some people deal with death and the loss of a loved one.
- It has inspired and restored hope.
- By giving your Mom a copy of Whale Song, you can feel good that you are also helping 3 nonprofit organizations dealing with poverty, homelessness and addictions.
- If you email me after you order Whale Song, I will send you a bookmark and SIGNED bookplate, so you'll be giving Mom a personalized and autographed book that she will treasure.
- Mom will pass her copy of Whale Song along to other readers, maybe even you.
- You can order Whale Song online now and your gift buying will be done! :)
DIVINE INTERVENTION - a paranormal romantic suspense that pits a team of covert psychic agents against a deadly serial arsonist.
"An exciting book from start to finish. The futuristic elements are believable...plenty of surprising twists and turns. Good writing, good book! Sci-fi and mystery fans will love this book." --Writer's Digest
The benefits of giving your Mom DIVINE INTERVENTION:
- It's a novel that offers entertaining suspense and a steamy cast of characters.
- It is great for anyone who enjoys books about psychics and includes an underlying sub-plot that is ghostly.
- If you email me after you order Divine Intervention, I will send you a bookmark and SIGNED bookplate, so you'll be giving Mom a personalized and autographed book that she will treasure.
- Mom will pass her copy of Divine Intervention along to other readers, maybe even you.
- You can order Divine Intervention online now and your gift buying will be done! :)
THE RIVER - a "mile-a-minute pot-boiler" thriller that explores nanotechnology and man's search for youth and eternal life.
"Superb! The River is Tardif’s most exciting novel yet! Full of unpredictable twists and lurching turns, The River is a non-stop adventure into Canada’s mysterious north." --Kelly Komm, author of Sacrifice
The benefits of giving your Mom THE RIVER:
- It's a novel that offers thrills, suspense and interesting characters.
- It is deals with terrifying scenarios that make the reader ask: "What if...?"
- Email me after you order Divine Intervention and I will send you a bookmark and SIGNED bookplate, so you'll be giving Mom a personalized and autographed book that she will treasure.
- Mom will pass her copy of The River along to other readers, maybe even you.
- You can order The River online now and your gift buying will be done! :)
Or order all 3 novels for your 'bookworm' Mom and give her a relaxing Mother's Day!
~Cheryl Kaye Tardif, bestselling author
Things I've heard at my book signings
Things I've heard at a signing, dressed professionally and standing behind a table with a banner on the front that reads: "Meet bestselling author Cheryl Kaye Tardif".
(And what I sometimes wish I could say in response...but don't)
*Can you tell me where to find the book: Political Warfare and Toxicology...blah..blah
(because I so obviously look like not only a bookstore employee but an intellectual...hmmmm)
*Where's the washroom?
(go outside, walk about 5 blocks, then pick a house...)
*What are you selling here?
(my book...? I'll throw in a free bookmark.)
*Can you give me a discount on this cookbook?
(do you have an iRewards card? If so, I'll give you 10% off.)
*Where's the bus terminal?
(Hmmm...I'm inside a mall...my guess is...OUTSIDE...?)
*What's your name?
(uh, let me check that big sign in front of my table.)
*Will the author be coming in to sign books?
(yup, she'll be here all day)
*Your sign is crooked.
(Thank you. Do you want a free bookmark to go with the book you're going to buy off my table?)
*Can you watch my bag for a few minutes?
(got anything interesting in there? Chocolate maybe?)
*Does your book have....you know...lots of...sex...in it?
(Not Whale Song, but my other two have enough to heat things up. Why, did you want more sex?)
*So Divine Intervention is about psychic government agents. Are you psychic?
(I knew you were going to ask me that.)
Now don't get me wrong, I love meeting people, and I know they're just looking for someone to help them out. I actually don't mind. But it is funny when you look at it from my perspective and I can't help the thoughts that sometimes come into my mind. Mostly I just think them, but I did actually say some of them out loud, including the last one. :)
To read what my friend and fellow author Karen Harrington hears at her signings, please go HERE.
WHALE SONG is a winner!
Last May one of my very loyal fans entered my novel Whale Song in Erin Aislinn's Book Cover of the Month contest. Whale Song won for the month of May!
For the past 2 or so months, Whale Song has been competing for Erin's 2007 Book Cover of the Year award.
I am proud to announce that...
WHALE SONG has won the 2007 Book Cover of the Year award!
Thank you to everyone who voted. I wish I could take credit for this beautiful, haunting cover, but I can't.
It was designed by Kam Wai Yu, graphic designer for Kunati Books.