Tag Archives: Donna Dawson

Review: Duke the Chihuahua Writes! by Donna Fawcett

cover art: Duke the Chihuahua WritesDuke the Chihuahua Writes!, by Donna Fawcett (Smashwords, 2012)

Duke is indeed a Chihuahua. He’s, shall we say, mature in years. Bee is an adolescent German Shepherd. Donna Fawcett is an award-winning author of fiction (under the name Donna Dawson) and non-fiction, and a former writing instructor. She’s also a speaker and a singer-songwriter.

When Donna began chronicling Duke’s writing misadventures on her blog, they were so well-received that Duke the Chihuahua Writes! was born. As an eager novice, Duke gets himself into some “teachable moments” on his writing journey. Between them, he and Bee encounter just about everything a new writer needs to learn. Duke even tries his paw at NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).

In 67 short chapters, the book covers the basics that beginners need to know: research, queries, self-editing, managing submissions, handling critiques and rejections, genres, characters, and more.

Duke and Bee make great company through the book, and readers will have more fun learning vicariously than reading a traditional “do this, don’t do that” instructional approach. The humour is appealing, and some of the author’s word choices are great. For example, Duke is a gentlepooch who, although he drinks cap-pup-chinos, leaves the pawdicures to Bee.

The book’s full title is Duke the Chihuahua Writes! A Self-Help and Slightly Crazy Book on How To Write. It’s available as an ebook through Smashwords. You can learn more about Donna Fawcett on her website. For more about her canine writing buddies, visit Duke and Bee Write or check out their blog.

[Review copy provided by the author.]

Review: Rescued, by Donna Dawson

Rescued, by Donna Dawson (Word Alive Press, 2010)

Daphne Barrie won’t survive her pregnancy—and she’d rather die with her baby than make a hurried choice she could regret for a lifetime. Desperate for another option, she pushes for a chance at a radical new procedure that would transfer her microscopic embryo into the womb of a healthy recipient, Charlene McTaggart.

Embryonic micromanipulation has been a reality in livestock for years. Rescued is Donna Dawson’s exploration of what it might mean if it were possible for humans.

This is clearly an “issue” novel, but Donna Dawson is too skilled a writer to let it slide into propaganda. And it’s a look at an alternative to abortion—not an argument for or against abortion itself. Both pro-life and pro-choice readers will find it interesting as long as they’re comfortable with a book where some of the characters talk about their faith.

Daphne and Charlene are thinking, feeling characters who draw reader empathy. The supporting doctors, the helpful reporter and the tabloid hack all have parts to play in exploring the ramifications of such a radical procedure. And the extremist villain whose goal is to eliminate the “abomination” that is Daphne’s/Charlene’s developing baby shows another side to the picture—and keeps the tension high.

In places the book is very technical as the doctors try to help the public and their patients (and readers) understand the procedure. It’s also a poignant look at a teen who knows she’ll never deliver a baby and a woman who had lost hope of ever being pregnant. The bond that grows between them is touching, and it strengthens them both.

Because the novel focuses on the one key issue, we don’t get much of a feel for the supporting characters, including Charlene’s husband. We do get to see pro-choice and pro-life activists working together for a common goal.

As the novel points out, human embryonic micromanipulation would need careful regulation to protect against things like black market embryo sales and inept surgery. I think it’s worth doing, and I’m a bit angry that the medical and research community hasn’t already been working for this.

Industry professionals have said that a procedure like this could work. “Possible but cost-prohibitive” is what one source told the author. The cost of research and development would be high, but what’s too high a price for an alternative to abortion?

The emotionally-volatile argument would continue, because some would still choose abortion and others would oppose that choice, but what if there really could be another option?

Rescued is an informative and thought-provoking novel. The first part is more human interest: the fight to save Daphne’s life. The second part is more suspenseful: the fight to protect Charlene’s life as the religious extremist increases his pressure. With short chapters and a fast pace, it’s hard to put down. The only negative is that it didn’t have enough copy-editing, and readers who notice these things will at times be jolted out of the story.

Canadian author Donna Dawson is an award-winning novelist, speaker, writing instructor and the creator of the popular writing advice blog with Duke the Chihuahua. She’s also a singer. Rescued is her fifth novel. You can watch a video interview with Donna at Talk On The Way. Here’s a link to the trailer for Rescued.

[Book provided by the author in exchange for an unbiased review. A shorter version of this review first appeared in Faith Today’s online July/August 2011 issue.]

Friday Friends: Author Sara Davison (part 2)

Last Friday we chatted with Canadian author Sara Davison, whose novel, The Watcher, released in March 2011. [You can read part one of the interview here.]

Janet: Welcome back, Sara. You’ve persevered a long time on the road to publication. What hope can you share with those of us still slogging?

Sara: It is a difficult journey, and a tough business that is only getting tougher as a result of uncertain economic times and on-going developments in technology. When this book was rejected yet again a year and a half ago I launched a blog called Choose to Press On, emphasizing the fact that if you believe in your story, and believe that God gave you this gift and this calling (and you really, really have to believe that or I would strongly recommend looking into other career options) then you have to just keep going and not give up. The stories are given for a purpose, and that purpose will be fulfilled in God’s time and in his way, not ours. In the meantime, keep working on your craft, honing it to  continually become a better and stronger writer. To get published now, work can’t just be good, it has to be excellent which, as writers working for the glory of God, should be our objective anyway. After that, we have to leave the results up to God.

Janet: Sound advice. Thank you. Are you working on a sequel?

Sara: Good question Janet. And the answer is maybe. When the book was UnBroken, I had a sequel written. Now that it has all been changed I’m not sure if the sequel still works or is needed. However, people have been asking about one, so I am taking a hard look at the other book to see if it can be rewritten to follow The Watcher or not. I will have to keep you posted on that. I do have another suspense novel written, The Child-Snatchers, which was short-listed in the Word Alive contest, so I am currently looking into publishing options for that one as well, but that one is the first in a completely different series.

Janet: Is there a particular song or Scripture verse that’s made a big difference for you?

Sara: The song “Praise You in the Storm” by Casting Crowns has had a big impact on me. The first time I heard it, a girl from our church was singing it at the funeral for her twenty-year old brother who had died suddenly in a car crash. Praising God is always powerful, but I was overwhelmed by how powerful it was that someone could be in the midst of devastation and heartbreak, and still praise God. I often thought of this song, and of the moment I first heard it, when I was writing about how Kathryn dealt with what happened to her in The Watcher. 

Janet: I think the choice to praise God in the hard times and in the pain is very powerful. And it’s something we all need to do at times. Next question: Are you a writer who likes to immerse herself in details of the setting while incubating the story idea?

Sara: Actually, that depends on what I am writing. The Child-Snatchers is set in a diner in Toronto, so I have spent a lot of time in diners in my town, trying to capture the feel, sounds, smells etc. Other than my husband questioning why I am suddenly spending so much more money on coffee and breakfast, I love being surrounded by everything my characters see and experience in the book. In The Watcher, the setting doesn’t play as big a role as the actions and interactions of the characters, so I did not end up spending extra time on a ranch, or travelling out to British Columbia. I do immerse myself in the dialogue, internal and verbal, of the characters whenever I write, however. I don’t tell this to many people, but I do act out a lot of the scenes, holding up both (or more) ends of the conversation and really putting myself into the action so that I can feel and think everything the character would be feeling and thinking. Like most writers, I find my characters become very real to me. In fact, I realize they are becoming too real to me when my poor husband says something to me and I find myself thinking “Nick would never say that to Kathryn!” That’s when I have to stop and remind myself that Nick is a fictional character and it’s not really a fair comparison.  

Janet: What do your family think of your writing?

Sara: Well, other than moments like that, they are unbelievably supportive. It’s not an easy thing to live with a writer, and to go through all the emotional ups and downs that come with that calling. It would be extremely difficult to pursue that vocation if your spouse and children (and, in my case, grandmother, parents, sisters, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephew, aunts, uncles, cousins etc.) didn’t support you and encourage you daily not to give up. My husband Michael is my biggest encourager, and tells everyone about the novel, whether they want to hear about it or not J. My kids think it’s pretty cool that I’ve written a book, and they seem to be impressed. My older two anyway. My youngest son, who is seven, recently said to me, “I’m glad you stay home with us and don’t work. Well, except for writing books, but that’s easy!” They make me laugh, anyway, and that goes a long way toward keeping me sane and keeping me going.

Janet: Writers are told to read widely and voraciously. I think that’s one of the perks of the deal. What are you reading these days?

Sara: At the moment I am reading The Story of Edgar Sawtelle for a book club I attend and it is a beautifully written book. I am also reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp, another beautiful, poetic book that is teaching me to live with a perpetual attitude of gratitude, and an awareness of the grace of God in the ordinary and everyday things of life. I also recently read In the Company of Others by Jan Karon, as enjoyable as the rest of the series, and Rescued by Donna Dawson is next on my list. I try to read a variety of books and authors, and to expand my horizons beyond what is familiar and, sometimes, even comfortable, in a desperate attempt to learn how great writers tell a story that has a powerful effect on their readers.

Janet: What do you like to do to get away from it all?

Sara: Is that an option? It’s pretty tricky for me to get away from it all these days, as I have three kids and have moved away from my family and don’t know very many people in town yet. Mostly I escape up to my room with a book, and I walk every morning with a friend down to the lake or on one of the many trails around here. Now that my kids are a little older, my husband and I do actually get out for a meal or a movie once in a while, and an hour or two of uninterrupted conversation is pretty much as close to a getaway as we’re taking these days.

Janet: Uninterrupted adult conversation is nothing to sneeze at! What’s the most surprising/fun/zany/scary thing you’ve ever done?

Sara: Wow, after contemplating this question for quite a while, I have come to the conclusion that I mustn’t be a very surprising/fun/zany/scary kind of a person, as nothing significant immediately came to mind. I’m not a huge risk-taker by nature, so this whole journey of putting myself and my work out there has been an on-going process of pushing myself further and further out of my comfort zone, which is always a good thing. Flying is I guess the scariest thing I have done, mostly because I have encountered pretty much everything that can go wrong with a flight short of crashing – being lost in fog, landing in tornadoes and the plane almost tipping over, having the plane searched for a bomb after someone checked in and didn’t get on a flight loaded with Hell’s Angels. I will still do it when necessary, but it does require a leap of faith and trust every time. Oh, and one of the most fun things that ever happened to me was bumping into Donny Osmond – literally – on a sidewalk in Toronto one day when he was there performing in Joseph. 

Janet: Sounds like plenty of things that could work into future novels! Sara, thanks so much for taking time to let us get to know you a bit. May the LORD continue to bless you and make you a blessing to others—in every area of your life.

===

Sara Davison blogs at Choose to Press On, and you can also find her on Facebook and on the Great Canadian Authors site. Visit her website, saradavison.org, for information on her current projects, an excerpt from and discussion questions for The Watcher, interviews, reviews and more.


Friday Findings: A Second Cup of Hot Apple Cider

 

Hot Apple Cider – the book – is a best-selling inspirational anthology, in the tradition of Chicken Soup for the Soul. It makes a terrific gift for someone in need of a little encouragement, or someone who simply enjoys reading a variety of stories written by “real” people. Watch for A Second Cup of Hot Apple Cider – coming on May 1, 2011. Both anthologies are published by That’s Life Communications.

Co-editor and contributor N.J. Lindquist writes:

Over 30,000 copies of Hot Apple Cider have gone out through World Vision’s Girls Night Out and Couples Night Out programs and another 15,000 have gone out through other means. We’re hoping for similar results with Hot Apple Cider 2.

Congratulations to everyone whose work was chosen for the book. While some of the contributors are veterans, others are being published for the very first time.

A. A. Adourian, Scarborough, Ontario

Brian C. Austin, Durham, Ontario

Paul M. Beckingham, Vancouver, British Columbia

Bonnie Beldan-Thomson, Pickering, Ontario

Glynis Belec, Drayton, Ontario

Mary Ann Benjamins, Brantford, Ontario

Vilma Blenman, Pickering, Ontario

Bill Bonikowsky, Surrey, British Columbia

Ann Brent, Brights Grove, Ontario

Connie Brummel Crook, Peterborough, Ontario

Marguerite Cummings, Toronto, Ontario

Kevin J. Dautremont, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

Donna Dawson/Fawcett, St. Marys, Ontario

Angelina Fast-Vlaar, St. Catharines, Ontario

Rosemary Flaaten, Calgary, Alberta

Ed Hird, Vancouver, British Columbia

Ron Hughes, Smithville, Ontario

Evangeline Inman, Fredericton, New Brunswick

David Kitz, Orleans, Ontario

Marcia Lee Laycock, Blackfalds, Alberta

N. J. Lindquist, Markham, Ontario

Les Lindquist, Markham, Ontario

Heather McGillivray, Chelmsford, Ontario

Heidi McLaughlin, Westbank, British Columbia

Ruth Smith Meyer, Ailsa Craig, Ontario

M. D. Meyer, Norway House, Manitoba

Wendy Elaine Nelles, Toronto, Ontario

Kimberley Payne, Millbrook, Ontario

Judi Peers, Peterborough, Ontario

Gloria V. Phillips, Collingwood, Ontario

Johanne E. Robertson, Toronto, Ontario

Denise Budd Rumble, St. Marys, Ontario

Jayne Self, Orangeville, Ontario

Adele Simmons, Whitby, Ontario

Janet Sketchley, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

Jeannie Lockerbie Stephenson, London, Ontario

T. L. Wiens, Beechy, Saskatchewan

The official release date for the book is May 1, 2011, just in time for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Canada Day. [Information from the Hot Apple Cider website and the press release]

One Book / One Conference

Out of 12 nominations, The Church Library Association of Ontario chose one book for everyone at their 2009 fall conference to read and discuss. It’s quite an eclectic list, and the ones I haven’t read I’ve heard good things about. What a great way to raise awareness of quality Canadian writing.

Nominated books were:

The Book of Negroes, by Lawrence Hill

Broken Angel, by Sigmund Brouwer

The Cellist of Sarajevo, by Steven Galloway

Christianus Sum, by Shawn J. Pollett

Cibou, by Susan Young de Biagi

Hot Apple Cider, N.J. Lindquist and Wendy Elaine Nelles, editors

Love Comes Softly, by Janette Oke

Mohamed’s Moon, by Keith Clemons

One Smooth Stone, by Marcia Lee Laycock

The Shack, by William P. Young

Shaded Light, by N.J. Lindquist

Vengeance, by Donna Dawson

I’ve read a lot of these books, although some were before I started doing regular reviews. If you want to see which ones I’ve reviewed, just click on the “reviews” tab at the top of this page.

Each one would have been a fine choice, and the most votes went to Hot Apple Cider. Since it’s an anthology from 30 Canadian authors who are Christian, covering a variety of topics in non-fiction, poetry and fiction, there’s sure to be something to please each participant in the One Book / One Conference event.

Congratulations to each author whose work was nominated!

It must be awards season…

A number of books you’ve seen on my free books page are up for awards these days:

Finalists for The Word Guild Christian Writing Awards (winners announced at The Word Guild Awards Gala, 17 June, 2009) include:

Cibou, by Susan Young de Biagi: in both Book—General Readership and Novel—Historical categories.

Vengeance, by Donna Dawson: in both Novel—Contemporary and Novel—Mystery/Suspense.

Stories from the anthology Hot Apple Cider are short-listed in seven categories: Article—General Readership (two), Article—Inspirational/Devotional (two), Article—Personal Experience, Article—Profile/Human Interest, and Short Story.

Finalists for the Daphne du Maurier contest (winners announced at the Romance Writers of America National Convention, 16 July, 2009) include:

Suspicious Minds, by Christy Barritt: Inspirational Romantic Mystery/Suspense.

Finalists for the Faith, Hope and Love, RWA Chapter’s Inspirational Reader’s Choice Contest (winners announced at the RWA Conference in July) include:

Shadows at the Window, by Linda Hall: Romantic Suspense

[This one hasn’t been one of my free book offers yet, but Shadows in the Mirror, previous book in the series was.]

Congratulations to these authors and to all the others who are up for these and/or other awards!