Cheri Rosenberg, who cut her writing
teeth right here in The Independent Gay Writer has submitted her review
of Connecting
Hearts and Rangers at Roadsend in
this issue.We here at IGW predict that within a couple of years, you will be seeing Cheri's own books begin to come on the market. We're proud of Cheri.
Connecting Heartsby Val Brown & MJ Walker
ISBN: 0-9770318-0-2
Publisher: Blue Feather Books, Ltd.
Price: $16.99
Pages: 284
Genre: Lesbian Fiction/Romance
Review by Cheri Rosenberg
Connecting Hearts by Val Brown and MJ Walker is a poignant story about two women living on different continents. Denise Jennings (DJ) is a reclusive British poet who lives with her Aunt Sara. When Sara is diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease or Motor Neuron Disease, DJ searches for answers on how to help her aunt who is like a mother to her and who is the only family she has left. In desperation, Denise contacts an American nurse Miranda (Randa) Martin who works for an Internet health information service. Not only does DJ get medical advice, compassion, and friendship, but she also gets so much more.
In a character-driven plot with terminal illness as the backdrop lurks a beautiful love story of two women brought together by fate. One is strong-willed and fiercely independent while the other is nurturing and caring. One is a reclusive poet who protects her privacy and the other is a registered nurse who wears her heart on her sleeve. Randa is the most honest person Denise has ever known and it frightens her a little. Will the nurse be able to help the poet through a difficult time in her life as her aunt is dying, and more important, will the poet accept her help? When love knocks on her door at a vulnerable time, will Denise accept that she can revel in happiness even though surrounded by sadness?
Despite her diagnosis, Sara remains stoic and an inspiration of hope to us all. Her bravery and her unconditional love for her niece are palpable, heroic, and commendable. Watching her wither away brings sadness, but her strength of character, humor, and innate happiness leave a lasting impression. Denise realizes how truly blessed she is to have this fine woman in her life and is understandably devastated to be losing her.
Brown and Walker have done an excellent job of portraying all aspects of terminal illness including the necessity of drawing up a living will before the need for one arises, the toll it takes on loved ones, and the importance of making necessary arrangements. The authors manage to convey the difficulty, without falling into unnecessary melodrama and cliché. With all the hype of the Terri Schiavo case, Connecting Hearts portrays a timely topic and stresses the importance of writing advance directives while a person is still healthy and mentally capable.
The authenticity whereby the authors use dialogue in the form of emails between DJ and Randa before they meet in person rings true. DJ’s poetry also adds significantly to the enjoyment and beauty of this novel. DJ tells her agent, “Not long ago, somebody said to me that reading poetry was a way to make us stronger and wiser without causing us any pain…What I mean is that hurt and pain, and even desire, do have a function. If these feelings can be expressed through verse, then maybe you can touch others. You can show people they are not alone” [p.63]. DJ shows her love and compassion through her poetry. Randa reveals her emotions through her actions and words. She is a compassionate nurse who not only preserves the dignity of her patients but when she cares deeply about someone, there is no mistaking her affections. Denise has a lot to learn from Randa in that department.
As in all stories that deal with terminal illness, and Connecting Hearts is no exception, the reader knows Sara is going to die from the very beginning and yet when it happens, the tears flow anyway. But, Connecting Hearts is also uplifting and so romantic that the reader can feel good about this book long after it is finished. Romance lovers will delight in Randa’s impression of her first kiss with DJ. She exclaims, “I feel like I’ve been branded, and it was just by a kiss!...The songwriter who said, ‘a kiss is just a kiss’ never got one from Denise Jennings!” [p. 133]. This well-written engaging story is riveting, enjoyable, witty, and bittersweet, as well as real, honest, and gritty. Learning about the lives of the three brave women as the story unfolds, makes it is easy to be enamored and intrigued by DJ, Randa, and Sara.
If you want an inspirational, sweet, and romantic love story with snappy dialogue, a clever story line, meticulous editing, loveable characters, enchanting emails, and beautiful poetry, then Connecting Hearts is the five star read for you. It will touch a special place in your heart.
Rangers at Roadsend(The Celaeno Series)
by Jane Fletcher
ISBN: 1-933110-28-7
Publisher: Bold Stroke Books, Inc.
Price: $15.95
Pages: 312
Genre: Lesbian Speculative Fiction/ Mystery/Romance
Released: June 2005
Review by: Cheri Rosenberg
Rangers at Roadsend, a murder mystery reminiscent of Agatha Christie, has crossed many genres including speculative fiction, fantasy, romance, and adventure. The story is an incredible whodunit that has something for everyone. Jane Fletcher, winner of the Golden Crown Literary Award 2005 for Walls at Westernfort, has created an intelligent and compelling story where the reader easily gets drawn into the fascinating world of Celaeno, becomes totally absorbed in the well-designed plot, and finds herself completely enamored with the multi-faceted characters.
Sergeant Chip Coppelli, of C Patrol, a Ranger at Fort Krowe, is the heroine in a land where women roam and rule the earth. A truly admirable character, Chip is a fearless leader who strives to keep the inhabitants of Celaeno safe from lawbreakers and wild beasts. When rumors abound about Chip’s new recruit, Private Katryn Nagata, Chip will stop at nothing to discover the truth concerning these allegations. She intends to find out why Katryn, a militia sergeant of Woodside, was transferred to her squadron in Landfall as a private, especially since she is older than the average new recruit and proves to be an accomplished markswoman with a bow and arrow, indicative of a person of higher rank. It doesn’t help that the attractive woman immediately captures Chip’s attention and affection. Against the advice of her best friend, Sergeant Kim Ramon of B Patrol, Chip falls in love with Katryn despite the suspicions that surround her. Added to the mystery of Katryn’s past actions, Chip has a few secrets of her own, further complicating the plot.
Besides the rich prose, a distinction that sets Fletcher above the norm, is the clever interweaving of clues -- the reader has fun trying to solve the murder of the unpopular, hated Sergeant Ellis. Fletcher takes special care so that the reader doesn’t discover the killer too soon. Even with meticulously laid out clues, there are no plot holes to contradict the explanation of how the murder took place. All the bases are covered leaving no other person a viable candidate.
Rangers at Roadsend will captivate and delight readers of all tastes, even those who say they are not fond of speculative fiction, including fantasy. Fletcher writes an engaging and believable tale with humor, metaphors, and honesty. It's not just the story that is compelling, but the way the author writes it that grabs the reader’s attention. Fletcher is able to convey volumes of emotion in a single sentence, for instance, p. 92, “Katryn’s company was the most enjoyable torment she [Chip] had ever known.” Her descriptions are vivid yet succinct as on p. 78, “As ever, the market was crowded. Sounds, smells and gaudy colors fought in a riot for the senses.” Her humor is evident as on p. 79, “I’m trying to work out what ‘Chip’ is short for.” “It’s not short for anything. It’s a small fried piece of potato.” Fletcher uses excellent metaphors throughout the text including how Chip feels about the romantic aspect of her life. The reader learns about Chip’s track record with women when Katryn throws up in the gutter, and she thinks, “it was a pretty good summing-up of her love life in general” [p. 89].
A five-star novel, Rangers at Roadsend will have you riveted, all the while fantasizing about living in a society where women are the masters of the Universe…the rulers of the world. Jane Fletcher, an amazing talent, gifted storyteller, and extraordinary plot developer, is one of the best authors of contemporary fiction today – in all genres. Rangers at Roadsend will convince you of that.