Book: Escape to Jekyll Island: Gem of the Golden Isles Series Book One Genre: Cosy Romantic Mystery Author: Sandy Malone Rating: 4.5/5 Reviewer: Stavyah Vatsarah
Life changes drastically in Sandy Malone’s Escape to Jekyll Island. After Hurricane Maria devastates her life in Puerto Rico, Tally Davis is back on Jekyll Island. This is a new professional beginning that drags her back into the orbit of people and memories she’s never quite left behind. Jekyll Island is no longer just a backdrop, and soon Tally finds out what home means to her again.
The book’s greatest strength is Tally. She’s capable and determined, but her narration is especially engaging because she has a wonderfully candid sense of humor. And the line that nails her professionalism is, ‘Everything has to be perfect. We have one chance to get this right.’ It also makes for a compelling heroine, for her devotion to her work is never a plot contrivance.
Weddings With Personality
Much of the novel’s flavor comes from the wedding-planning aspect. It’s not an easy job; Tally’s first big wedding is on Jekyll Island, and Malone makes the behind-the-scenes work surprisingly entertaining. Welcome baskets, flowers, guest arrangements—you name it, Tally’s got to see trouble coming before it becomes a disaster. Especially telling of the book’s irreverent humor is her own description of the situation as a possible ‘clusterfuck.’
Malone also notes the absurdity often associated with elaborate weddings. Annabelle continues to add to the already carefully thought-out celebration, and this process leads to some comedy moments. Tally’s reaction to the bride’s Icelandic bachelorette trip is especially funny as she points out that it’s ‘a Caribbean destination wedding that was moved stateside’ after a trip to another continent. These details give the novel a pleasing lightness, yet none of its characters ever feel disposable.
In the close-knit world of Jekyll Island, Tally and Mitch’s romance thrives. Their shared past lends the relationship an effortless familiarity while their adult lives add a new dimension. Their conversations are inherently warm, and the community surrounding them adds another layer of affection to their story. The novel is strongest when it lets their relationship develop through the mundane and avoids turning every moment into melodrama.
The island community itself is one of the most enjoyable pleasures of the book. Malone has created a community where neighbors know each other and care about each other, where personal relationships matter. Small events can be memorable due to the personalities involved. The humor in the book shines in these moments, and the prank involving Etah and a crab is a particularly strong example of the playful spirit that runs through the story.
Photo by The Visionary Vows | FOR REPRESENTATIONAL USE ONLY
Suspense in the Spell
The novel, while romantic and comedic on the surface, also introduces a darker source of conflict. Tension surrounding Tally’s past slowly begins to build as she starts her new life. Malone pulls off the switch nicely, ramping up the suspense without sacrificing the warmth that suffuses the rest of the novel. The contrast between the idyllic island setting and the problems Tally faces drives the story.
One of the best things about this book is Tally’s commitment to being prepared for any wedding disaster. ‘Don’t jinx us, Tally,’ Isabelle commands, with the memorable warning not to count your chickens before they hatch. That little exchange is so typical of the tone of the novel. But real jokes lie underneath, along with a real sense of the pressure Tally puts on herself to make it all work.
A New Beginning
There are places where the novel could have used some tighter exposition. A little background is overexplained, and a few of the developments seem a little convenient. These are minor reservations, however, and they do little to detract from the overall enjoyment of the story.
Ultimately, Escape to Jekyll Island works because it features a likable heroine and a fun professional world. Tally’s story is as much about the rebuilding of a life as it is about the loss of one. The warmth of the novel is summed up by its final gesture toward a future where Tally can finally feel that she has found her place again.
S A Schneider has a wolf, so naturally, he writes middle-grade fantasy. From his Lego and action-figure days, Schneider has been creating worlds and crafting stories within them, a pursuit that continues through his middle-grade fantasy works. But his interest in storytelling extends beyond traditional narratives. Schneider also explores how storytelling works in video games and encourages children to discover how they can create their own stories and fantastical worlds. He hopes to inspire others to join him in this imaginative pursuit. Recently, Schneider was interviewed by B Sudharsan, Founding Editor-in-Chief of Literary Harbinger. Excerpts:
SPECIAL & EXCLUSIVE
From Short Story to Book to Series
B Sudharsan: It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr Schneider. How long have you been writing, and what sparked your interest in it?
S A Schneider: It’s been about ten years, but I first got the thought to write about five years before that. I was a Girl Scout leader and wanted to write books that had female protagonists for my girls to read.
B Sudharsan: You mention you wanted to write books with female protagonists for the girls in your Girl Scout troop. How did that initial idea eventually lead to your published works, particularly the Town Magician and The Oddish Questors series?
S A Schneider: My fantasy series—Town Magician—started as a short story. Near me, at Kent State University, they had an annual Wizarding World festival. I wanted to set up a table but needed something that fit. So I wrote a short story. And, as happens, that short story grew to be a book. And, as happens, that book became a series. My newer series—The Oddish Questors—is based on my kids and stepkids. It’s been the most fun to write since I incorporated a bit of their personalities into it. I also included our wolf, Hunter, as a character. It’s been some fun stories.
‘My Two Favorites are Stephen King and Michael Crichton’
B Sudharsan: How do you approach developing a story once you have its basic premise? Do you map out the plot and characters beforehand, or do they evolve as you write?
S A Schneider: I have things loosely planned and mapped out. Not a detailed outline. Though, as I’ve gained experience, I can flesh out the outline more, and the writing is then even easier. I have a basic idea of the story, and then I use tools like Save the Cat and Hero’s Journey to help me fill in any details of the story that I may have missed.
B Sudharsan: Are there any authors who have significantly influenced your writing?
S A Schneider: My two favorites are Stephen King and Michael Crichton. Both keep me turning pages and wanting to read just a little more. Even books I’ve already read.
B Sudharsan: With your writing competing for time alongside editing, marketing, and events, how do you structure your writing routine, and when do you find yourself most creatively inspired?
S A Schneider: I try to write in the morning before work. But I can sometimes find other times to write. I have to balance it with editing, marketing, joining events, and a myriad of other connected things. Often, I will have a scene in my head while driving or mowing, and I need to write it down as soon as possible.
‘My Kids Call Me Their Intergalactic 12-Year-Old’
B Sudharsan: Great to learn that your writing and storytelling have developed alongside your experiences in other fields. Please tell us a little about where you live, your age, and your educational background.
S A Schneider: I live in Northeast Ohio near Kent State University. I went to school for computers and music, though I’ve let my music slacken recently. Do you want to know my physical age or my mental age? My kids call me their intergalactic 12-year-old.
B Sudharsan:(laughs) Certainly. Looking back at the journey you have described, when did you consciously begin to see yourself as an author?
S A Schneider: I had not given much thought to being an author until Kindle was introduced and I observed the emergence of numerous books. Then when I wanted to write stories for the girls in my Girl Scout troop, it all fell together.
‘I’d Love to Be a Full-Time Author’
B Sudharsan: Since becoming an author involves much more than writing, how do you balance your creative work with your personal responsibilities? What do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?
S A Schneider: Well, that’s a thoughtful question. It’s difficult occasionally. After work and then doing everything needed, like mowing the lawn and grocery shopping, some days you just want to do anything except sit at the computer and think. But the more fun writing is, the more I want to do it. I enjoy reading, of course. I’m trying to find the time to get back into music. I also enjoy playing games with friends.
B Sudharsan: You mentioned that you are continuing to develop The Oddish Questors and have the third Town Magician story in mind. Please tell us about your current projects and where you hope your writing career will go.
S A Schneider: I’m working on more Oddish Questor stories. I also have the third Town Magician thought out, but not much written. I would like to be a full-time author, but it’s not easy to just do that.
‘Concentrate More on Writing Than on Anything Else’
B Sudharsan: Drawing from your own experience of developing as a writer, what advice would you offer to aspiring authors who become discouraged when their work does not perform as they had hoped?
S A Schneider: Concentrate more on writing than on anything else. Don’t worry about seminars or classes at first. Don’t even worry about publishing. You’d be better off and further ahead if you wrote several books and short stories first and then went back to some learning to improve them. You’ll get so much more out of any learning if you’ve written multiple things. And that will be beneficial when you finally publish, and your published works will perform better for you. So all that time spent waiting is worth it.
B Sudharsan: Your advice to writers emphasizes the importance of writing and storytelling. Does that philosophy also connect with your thoughts on how we encourage children to read and tell stories?
S A Schneider: Oh, don’t think I want to go into this topic here. But there are multiple things. How about in school we let kids read more of what they want, including comics? And let’s not worry about spelling and grammar so early on. Let kids tell stories and learn to have fun telling them and reading whatever they want. I think that when you then introduce spelling, grammar, and reading other things, it will go over much better, and we’ll have people who enjoy stories.
‘Writing Is Some of the Fun Time’
B Sudharsan: You have spoken about writing, family life, work, and the everyday responsibilities that shape your routine. What does a typical day look like for you?
S A Schneider: My typical day includes working; household tasks like making dinner, doing dishes, and taking care of the animals; and some fun time when I can. Writing fits in there to various degrees and is some of the fun time.
B Sudharsan: Do you speak any languages besides English?
S A Schneider: Do some computer programming languages count?
B Sudharsan:(smiles) Finally, beyond what we have discussed, is there anything else about your books or your journey as a writer that you would like to share with our readers?
S A Schneider: All my books are at https://sa-schneider.com. I also have helpful resources for teachers and homeschool parents.
How about in school we let kids read more of what they want, including comics? And let’s not worry about spelling and grammar so early on. Let kids tell stories and learn to have fun telling them and reading whatever they want. I think that when you then introduce spelling, grammar, and reading other things, it will go over much better, and we’ll have people who enjoy stories.
~ S A SCHNEIDER
ENGAGE WITH LH | Click on the cover image of the book you wish to read and buy yourself a copy right offthe bat!
A few months ago, I journeyed from Chennai to Arakkonam, a railroad town some 80 km away. Krishna, a man whom I hold in the highest regard, accompanied me. We met three years ago when I was working for an ed tech company. He was my reporting head. He’s a great speaker with such authority that I was initially intimidated by him; he naturally inspires a bit of awe. But as time passed, I learned he was an incredibly empathetic person who genuinely cared about the well-being of those around him. Talking to him always gave me something to reflect on. I’m still in awe of his amazing ability to juggle time and duties with ease.
On the way to Arakkonam by suburban train, our talk swirled around questions of existence, consciousness, death, and the existence of God. I used to be a forceful believer. However, exposure to epistemology gradually forced me to reconsider many of my assumptions. I don’t say with absolute certainty that God does not exist, but I no longer believe in a creator who is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent in the traditional sense. But that doesn’t mean I’m completely closed off to the idea. I realized, after talking with Krishna for a long time, that I had been carrying so many unexamined assumptions within me for years. It felt more and more important to face these things honestly, rather than to continue living in quiet intellectual inconsistency.
Something to Be Argued Into Existence?
Like so many others who may have searched the internet for deductive arguments that might prove the existence of God, I too had wanted certainty. I told Krishna that I considered myself a seeker, that if I were ever presented with convincing evidence for God, I would willingly change my mind. After all, my philosophy has always been based on the principle that beliefs must be revisable in the face of new evidence.
When I told Krishna that I was a seeker, he replied immediately, ‘You will be a seeker for the rest of your life.’
I didn’t understand the meaning of what he was saying at the time. But in retrospect I can see that I had been operating for a long time under a strong assumption: that God, if He existed, must be demonstrable by argument and evidence. Perhaps even many prominent atheist debaters, like Matt Dillahunty, share this assumption without fully recognizing it themselves.
But what if God is not something that can be proved in the usual sense? What if divinity, if it exists at all, is not something that can be argued into existence but rather something to be experienced? I have heard many people share very personal spiritual experiences, and I have too often dismissed such testimonies too quickly. But I have begun to wonder whether that dismissal itself is ever an example of intellectual unfairness. Is it irrational to take lived experience seriously just because it cannot be universally verified?
Atheists frequently argue that if God exists, then such a being is not worthy of worship because the world is full of suffering. But I find myself wondering if suffering is entirely objective. Is suffering a function of the events themselves, or is it partly a matter of interpretation? Death is, after all, the great leveler. It’s the one thing we can’t escape. And if mortality is the only reality we all share as human beings, perhaps learning to face it meaningfully is more important than winning abstract metaphysical debates.
Krishna pushed the argument further. ‘I’m not concerned about confirmation bias,’ he said. If the belief in a higher power gives me peace, joy, and psychological stability, then why should I be troubled by the possibility that this belief may be false? Why do we reduce everything of value to proof? What if God cannot be limited by the bounds of argument?
The more I thought about what he said, the more it sounded well said. Belief, no question, provides many people strength. It gives confidence and a sense of purpose, even in a universe that may itself have no intrinsic purpose at all. If a common belief can help people to live more meaningfully, why reject it simply because it cannot be conclusively proven?
In my case, more and more I have felt that it is perhaps more important to understand one’s own nature than to settle the question of God’s existence. My cousin, a teacher who believes she has been saved by a higher power in several near-tragic experiences, once told me that obsessively investigating whether God exists is not the main issue. ‘The real question,’ she insisted, ‘is who are you really?’
She gave me an example that I have remembered ever since. When a person dies, we say that they ‘are gone,’ yet the body is still there in front of us. If the individual was simply the body, why would we speak this way? Why do we not go on relating to the body as if the person were still there? The body rots, but we feel something integral has been lost. ‘We can’t just be the body,’ she said. There is something beyond that, and that reality can be grasped only through sadhana.
Photo by Matheus Bertelli
A Worthy Guiding Principle?
I have no way of knowing whether her conclusion is correct, nor do I know how one might definitively investigate such claims. But I am thankful for having lost at least some of my earlier presuppositions. I now try to be more open in answering these questions. I carefully evaluate spiritual testimonies and claims rather than accepting or dismissing them at face value.
More to the point, I have started to wonder whether the pursuit of happiness and inner contentment might actually be a worthy guiding principle. If belief in a higher power does indeed help human beings develop resilience and bliss, then perhaps the value of that belief is not in whether it can be proved, but in what it allows people to become.
But what if God is not something that can be proved in the usual sense? What if divinity, if it exists at all, is not something that can be argued into existence but rather something to be experienced?
Sandy Malone planned weddings in the Caribbean for 11 years with her retired SWAT commander husband before Hurricane Maria wiped out their company overnight. She left her mark on the wedding world with hundreds of expert columns in BRIDES, HuffPost Weddings, WeddingWire, and the ‘Wedding Reality Check with Sandy Malone’ podcast. She is well-known for her book How To Plan Your Own Destination Wedding: Do-It-Yourself Tips From An Experienced Professional, which was published by Skyhorse Publishing in 2016. The Gem of the Golden Isles series, which currently comprises five books, is available through IngramSpark’s Lightning Source or can be purchased directly from the author in most of Georgia and North Florida. Malone is available for book club gatherings, interviews, readings, and book signings. She corresponded with B Sudharsan, Founding Editor-in-Chief of Literary Harbinger, via email recently. Excerpts from the edited interview:
HARBINGER EXCLUSIVE
From School Newspapers to Fiction
B Sudharsan: When did you start writing?
Sandy Malone: I started writing when I was little – I believe my first publication was a neighborhood newsletter written on a manual typewriter in third grade when I was home sick from school. I became editor of my high school newspaper, and then I started an independent newspaper between 15 private schools in DC. Eventually, I went on to become campus editor of The Lantern at THE Ohio State University. I graduated with a degree in journalism.
B Sudharsan: Tell us about your published works. How did they come into being? What is your latest book about?
Sandy Malone: My first published works (after writing for lots of newspapers, including the Wall Street Journal and HuffPost) were non-fiction books that were traditionally published. I wrote a DIY wedding planning book, and then I was asked to ghostwrite several books for other reality TV stars (including a Real Housewife). I started writing fiction two years ago and have published five books in the Gem of the Golden Isles Series:
Escape to Jekyll Island (Book One) In Bloom on Jekyll (Book Two) Treasure on Jekyll (Book Three) In the Shadows on Jekyll (Book Four) Christmas on Jekyll (Book Five)
I’m working on a new series now that has a crossover with the Gem of the Golden Isles series. It’s called Under the Oaks, and it takes place on St Simons Island, next door to Jekyll.
I’ve also written a stand-alone novel that’s completely different from my wedding planner series. It’s about a patriarchal family where money and influence are more important than anything. Thicker Than Blood is told through the eyes of three generations of women in that family, two of whom develop Alzheimer’s. Thicker Than Blood will be released this fall.
‘I Need to Know How a Book Ends Before I Start Writing’
B Sudharsan: Before you begin writing a book, do you already have the plot and characters mapped out in your mind, or does the story unfold as you write?
Sandy Malone: I like to do a rough outline and figure out some of the character names before I start writing. I have learned that I need to know how a book ends before I start writing. The middle part writes itself as I go, and I get creative and add things while I write, but I have to have a solid direction for the ending from the beginning.
B Sudharsan: Do you have any favorite authors? If yes, please tell us who they are and why they inspire you.
Sandy Malone: I love Elin Hilderbrand, Nelson DeMille, Jennifer Weiner, Patricia Cornwell, and Susan Boyer. Elin and Susan write books about characters on islands, and I think I most closely identify with their writing. Patricia Cornwell and Nelson DeMille write the kind of intrigue that sucks me in. Jennifer Weiner makes me laugh. I think I’d like to hang out with her.
‘Someday, I Hope to Be Able to Write All the Time’
B Sudharsan: When do you generally write? Do you follow a fixed schedule, or do you write whenever you feel inspired to put your thoughts into words?
Sandy Malone: I write when I have blocked out time to do it because I like to write for hours at a time with few interruptions. It really only takes me a couple of weeks to write a book; it’s about having time to do it when I have so much work to do to promote the books I’ve already published. The writing is the easy part. A guilty pleasure, so to speak. Someday, I hope to be able to write all the time because I’ve sold enough books to pay somebody else to promote them!
B Sudharsan: Where are you currently residing? Could you also share your educational qualifications and age?
Sandy Malone: I’m 53. My husband and I live on Jekyll Island, Georgia, a tiny island just above the Georgia/Florida line. We moved down here to be closer to my mother after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
I grew up in Potomac, Maryland, and attended private schools, and I graduated from Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School in Washington, DC, the oldest Catholic girls’ school in the United States. I graduated from THE Ohio State University with a BA in Journalism in 1996 and went on to attend The Fund for American Studies’ Institute on Political Journalism at Georgetown University.
B Sudharsan: Was becoming an author a conscious decision?
Sandy Malone: I’ve always wanted to be a writer, but my mother discouraged it. She wanted me to get a job that I ‘could always go back to after having children.’ When I went off to college to study journalism, my mom was positive I was ‘going to end up writing obituaries on the overnight shift somewhere in the Midwest.’ I think she forgave me when I started writing the Politics.Net column at the Wall Street Journal.
B Sudharsan: How do you balance writing with other responsibilities? What are your hobbies and interests apart from writing?
Sandy Malone: When I started writing fiction novels, I committed to it full-time. But I only spend a little bit of life actually writing because most of my time is spent promoting the books I’ve already written. It’s a massive, time-sucking job, and it must be done, or nobody will know about my books.
My husband and I live on a tiny island that’s actually a state park, and I’m very involved in a local charitable organization and several other groups. I run a monthly Jekyll Island Girls Night Out that attracts quite a crowd. I also play tennis and love going to the beach with my husband and friends. We’ve definitely found our forever home here on Jekyll.
I used to do a lot of crafting (love to paint glass) at night, but now that I’m an author, I don’t have as much time for it because we travel constantly. We have six grandchildren who live in the DC area, and I have to do a lot of book events all over the place to promote myself. We try to schedule multiple book signings into each trip and make time to see friends and family in between. I have a grandson getting married in Virginia in 10 days, and we’re doing a book event up there a few days before the wedding. We spend a lot of time road-tripping because there’s too much stuff for book signings to bring on a plane.
‘Takes a Long Time to Get Established in the Publishing World’
B Sudharsan: Tell us a little about your works in progress.
Sandy Malone: I’m working on another destination wedding planner series based on St Simons Island, Georgia, that crosses over with my Jekyll Island book series, Gem of the Golden Isles. The first book will be out soon.
My first stand-alone novel, Thicker Than Blood, will be released this fall. The book is fiction, but I used it to explore my own journey with my mother’s Alzheimer’s disease.
B Sudharsan: What would you like to say to budding authors who lose motivation when a few of their works do not perform well?
It takes a long time to get established in the publishing world. Very few people get big overnight. Patience is a virtue. But at the same time, you should be writing and publishing and taking constructive criticism to make your books better. I finally hired a professional team to help me get my books to the next level, and the first thing they told me to do was change my book covers because they looked like travel guides. Ouch. But they were right. We’re getting ready to relaunch the Gem of the Golden Isles series with new covers. I can’t wait!
B Sudharsan: If there is one thing you would like to change in this world, what would it be?
Sandy Malone: I’d like to see an intense plan by the federal government to figure out how to prevent Alzheimer’s disease because it’s becoming too common.
‘Decided I Was Bilingual When I Started Dreaming in Spanish’
B Sudharsan: What does a usual day in your life look like?
Sandy Malone: I spend my mornings doing housekeeping at my desk—responding to emails, filling book orders that come in through my website, and posting about my books on social media. In the afternoons, I tackle the rest of my to-do lists and wish I were on the beach. On a book signing day, I get up early and triple-check my list of things to bring. I put on war paint, try to arrive early, and pull out my biggest, friendliest personality for the day. I love meeting readers and personalizing books for them, but it’s the most exhausting part of being an author.
B Sudharsan: Besides English, what other languages do you know or speak?
Sandy Malone: I speak Spanish, badly. I planned weddings in Puerto Rico for 11 years, and many of my employees and vendors didn’t speak English, so I perfected my high school Spanish and tried my best. I decided I was bilingual when I started dreaming in Spanish. Unfortunately, I don’t use it much living on the Georgia coast. And Puerto Rican isn’t exactly the Spanish we learned in the classroom.
B Sudharsan: If there is anything else you would like to share with our readers, please feel free to do so.
Sandy Malone: My husband and I starred in our own reality TV show on TLC called ‘Wedding Island.’ My first book series is about a young wedding planner who loses her job on Vieques Island after a hurricane and goes back to Jekyll Island, Georgia, to start over. It’s not autobiographical, but it’s based on my own experiences. Many of my readers have said they enjoyed watching ‘Wedding Island’ after reading Escape to Jekyll Island because they had a better understanding of where Tally was coming from and what it was like to plan weddings on an island, seven miles off the coast of another island, in the Caribbean.
It takes a long time to get established in the publishing world. Very few people get big overnight. Patience is a virtue. But at the same time, you should be writing and publishing and taking constructive criticism to make your books better. I finally hired a professional team to help me get my books to the next level, and the first thing they told me to do was change my book covers because they looked like travel guides.
Book: A Canadian Werewolf in New York Genre: Paranormal Thriller Author: Mark Leslie Rating: 5/5 Reviewer: Stavyah Vatsarah
Mark Leslie’s A Canadian Werewolf in New York is the kind of book that the cozy confines of genre cannot contain. It may start with a werewolf, a mysterious attack, a bullet wound, and a confused writer waking up in Manhattan with human blood in his mouth, but Leslie soon shows that the real story is far more compelling: the complex business of being human. The disturbing prospect that his body and instincts are now unrecognizable confronts Michael Andrews, the protagonist, while his career as a successful writer brings its own pressures of identity and creative confinement. What you get is a joyous supernatural novel that mixes mystery, humor, tenderness, and philosophical curiosity and shows that to understand humanity, sometimes you just have to put a wolf in it.
A Werewolf with a Human Voice
The opening introduces the wonderfully irreverent character of the novel immediately. Michael wakes in Battery Park naked, injured, and tasting human blood, and his bewildered response is, ‘Michael Andrews, what the hell have you been up to last night?’ It’s both hilarious and ominous. Leslie understands that the supernatural can become more compelling when it is filtered through an ordinary human reaction, and Michael does not behave like the grandiose protagonist of a conventional gothic tale. He behaves like a man confronted with an impossibly awful morning, which makes the extraordinary feel strangely believable.
This comic instinct runs throughout the novel and gives Michael an immediately engaging voice. A particularly striking example is his meeting with Buddy: Michael describes himself as Buddy’s ‘conversational prostitute’ after enduring the older man’s endless monologues. The line is hysterically funny, but it also demonstrates Leslie’s ability to distil an entire relationship into one unforgettable image. His humor never seems ornamental; instead, it is woven into the novel’s narrative bloodstream, keeping the werewolf story lively and unexpectedly warm.
The Humanity Beneath the Fur
But beneath the jokes is a surprisingly tender examination of compassion. Michael’s bond with Wally shows that his transformation has not dulled his instinct to protect others; in fact, his heightened senses make him unusually sensitive to fear and emotional distress. Wally’s question, ‘Do you have to go, Michael?’ is a simple one, but it lends an unexpected poignancy to their short-lived friendship, especially when Michael responds with, ‘Goodbye, my friend.’ What makes this little exchange stand out in a book full of supernatural peril is that affection can be stronger than spectacle.
The meeting also muddies the usual distinction between human and monster. Michael is capable of terrifying violence, but cruelty disturbs him, and he instinctively intervenes when Wally is threatened. His fight with the bully is therefore more than an action scene: it creates a moral tension at the core of the character. The man who looks like a monster may have more conscience than the people who look perfectly human, suggesting the real essence of monstrosity is conduct and not appearance. Leslie doesn’t preach but makes the point, letting Michael’s actions do the arguing.
The most compelling literary aspect of the novel is Michael’s struggle to understand what he has become. The werewolf isn’t just a supernatural curse but a physical manifestation of the split self, forcing Michael to confront impulses that he can’t consciously control. His heightened senses allow him to perceive the world as ordinary human beings cannot. His metamorphoses create gaps between what he remembers and what his other self has experienced. So the frightening question is not what kind of creature one is, but how well any person can ever know himself.
It becomes even more powerful when you realize that Michael is also a writer. He has realized the incredible dream of travelling from Canada to New York, becoming successful, and seeing his books made into movies, but even that success leaves him struggling under the pressure of expectations. If his life were a novel, he thinks, readers would be more apt to believe he is a werewolf than that he would ever become a bestselling author. It’s a wonderfully self-aware observation, one which allows Leslie to play with the relationship between fiction and reality while quietly questioning what makes a believable life.
The Writer Who Has to Find Himself
Michael’s creative crisis is an eerily accurate mirror of his supernatural predicament. The pressure to produce another successful novel threatens to turn his imagination into a commercial obligation, just as his transformation threatens to reduce his identity to that of a ‘werewolf.’ His struggle is therefore double and personal: he has to learn to live with the creature inside him, and he has to decide what kind of writer he wants to be. He finds himself through writing, and the keyboard is almost as essential to his transformation as the full moon.
There’s something very satisfying about creativity becoming a way of taking back control. Michael returns to writing after a particularly turbulent period and finds that the act of writing fiction helps him clear his mind and figure out what he has to do next. Thus, the novel suggests that artistic creation is not only a profession or a product but also a way of thinking and understanding oneself. This strand is given added resonance by Leslie’s own experience as an author, for the author’s note at the end of the book reveals that the novel itself evolved over a period of years before finally coming to completion.
A Monster Tale with a Literary Heart
What makes A Canadian Werewolf in New York so enjoyable is that it does not sacrifice entertainment for substance. Leslie provides the pleasures of supernatural fiction, but it is also quietly a story about friendship, morality, artistic independence, and the frailties of identity. The novel is riotously funny in one scene and surprisingly reflective in the next, and this tonal elasticity becomes one of its greatest strengths. It is a book that knows how to entertain without taking its reader for granted.
In the end, Michael’s journey is more than simply learning to live with a werewolf inside him; it’s about learning to live with all the contradictory selves that make a person whole. Leslie takes the familiar werewolf mythology and makes it more intimate, asking if the creature we fear sometimes shows us the person we have been afraid to become. A Canadian Werewolf in New York therefore leaves more than the echo of a supernatural adventure. It leaves the delightful suspicion that the boundary between man and monster was never as secure as we anticipated. In Leslie’s hands, the howl is not merely the sound of transformation but the sound of a man finding his voice.
A-M Mawhiney reflects on the lockdown that led her back to writing and the unexpected journey that followed
A-M Mawhiney’s creative writing journey began when she was just eight years old, with gloomy, four-line poems. In an exclusive interaction with Literary Harbinger, the septuagenarian, who has been a full-time writer since 2020, says she continued writing throughout secondary school before stopping when she went to university. ‘A busy life with a full-time career as a social worker and then a university professor disrupted my dreams of becoming a famous novelist. I started writing again during the first international lockdown in March 2020. I was desperate to find hope in a distressing world and, to my surprise, began to write a story about a future, almost Utopian world with dark secrets,’ she tells us.
From Spindrifts to Fugitive Rifts
Having self-published three books with publication services provided by FriesenPress, Mawhiney, who also speaks French fluently, says categorically that she tends to fly by the seat of her pants. ‘I sit at my desk, put my fingers on the keyboard and start writing,’ she says, adding that she may have a vague idea of what will happen with the characters on each writing day, but more often than not they and her imagination take her in a different direction. ‘I often write myself into a corner, and I find that a long walk or organising closets helps me discover what might happen next. Then I write some more,’ she explains.
Talking about her debut novel, Spindrifts, the resident of Sudbury in Ontario, Canada, lets on, ‘It was a Covid novel about a future worldwide Earth Project to save the planet. When I finished writing it, I thought my writing career was over until two pre-teens urged me to write a sequel that included a dragon and a magical wolf. This required a great deal of imagination to shift from the world in Spindrifts to a world of fantasy in Spelldrifts, my second book.’ Spindrifts was a finalist in the eighth annual Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writers’ Prize and shortlisted for the Whistler Independent Book Awards in 2022.
Her third book, Fugitive Rifts, is unrelated to the first two and is real-world fiction about four very different teens who each face challenges that shatter their dreams. ‘The only thought I had before writing Fugitive Rifts was wanting the story to involve four teens. All three books have themes of resilience, helping each other, and coming-of-age character arcs.’
I often write myself into a corner, and I find that a long walk or organising closets helps me discover what might happen next. Then I write some more.
~ A-M MAWHINEY
To Mawhiney, Unpredictability Matters
Having been a voracious reader since the age of seven, with very few days since then when she has been unable to find time to read, the writer does draw inspiration from other authors. She says she has always felt drawn to writers who produce something surprising with an unpredictable ending. ‘A recent book that comes to mind is The Last Mandarin by Louise Penny and Mellissa Fung. But in the last few years I have also become a huge fan of P L Stuart’s The Drowned Kingdom Saga (Books 1–6 so far) and Anne M Smith-Nochasak’s Taggak Journey Trilogy. I also continue to read historical fiction such as Jennifer Chiaverini’s Resistance Women,’ she lets us know.
When asked when she usually writes, Mawhiney—who holds two undergraduate degrees, a master’s degree, and a PhD—said that writing Spindrifts consumed her completely. ‘I wrote throughout the day and often late into the night,’ she tells us. Her subsequent books have been paced differently, nonetheless. ‘With Spelldrifts, I usually wrote in the mornings and early evenings. With Fugitive Rifts, I wrote whenever I had a glimmer of an idea about what would happen next and felt inspired to put it on paper,’ she shares.
As the interview progresses, we ask her whether becoming an author was a conscious decision, and the author responds in a jiffy. ‘I would have to say becoming an author was an act of desperation during lockdown. I was finding lockdown isolation difficult after the first few weeks and knew I had to find something to do to take me away from feelings of hopelessness and distress,’ she shares.
She continues, ‘I grabbed my laptop, thinking I was probably going to journal, and instead the first sentence that emerged became the opening line of Spindrifts: “When she awoke it was with such joy in her heart.” I was gobsmacked and had no idea who “she” was or why she was joyful. After thinking frantically while cleaning closets for a few hours, I continued writing.’
I would have to say becoming an author was an act of desperation during lockdown. I was finding lockdown isolation difficult after the first few weeks and knew I had to find something to do to take me away from feelings of hopelessness and distress.
~ A-M MAWHINEY
Getting Immersed in Writing
Mawhiney, however, kept her writing project a secret from everyone except her partner for several months. ‘When I finally told one of my sisters, she recommended I sign up for the Humber College Summer Writing Workshop, which was offered virtually in 2020. I had to submit a sample of my writing and was surprised to be accepted into the workshop, where I learnt a great deal about being an author,’ she lets on.
The author says that since she began writing after she had been superannuated, there were few other responsibilities. ‘So it was easy to immerse myself in writing,’ she states. ‘With the next two books, I did have to balance other responsibilities but was still able to safeguard several hours for writing almost every day.’
Having a very supportive partner who takes care of day-to-day practicalities such as meal preparation and shopping allows Mawhiney to remain focused on her writing. ‘And when I need a break to think about what comes next, I putter around cleaning, walking, and visiting friends, and somehow my creativity flows when I get back to my computer,’ she says.
Mawhiney, we learn, also belongs to a writing group that was formed during the Humber Workshop in 2020. ‘We meet, with rare exceptions, every two weeks to talk about our writing, give feedback to one of us, and write from prompts. I have a strong network of friends, and our get-togethers keep me socially active. My partner and I spend lots of time with family, and we enjoy watching local basketball games. I recently started playing the piano again and am enjoying another rediscovered creative outlet. And I read every day,’ she explains, adding that she knows she is fortunate to be retired because it gives her much more time to write than many other authors. ‘On the other hand, I am aware that I have fewer years left to continue writing, so I feel compelled to make this a priority while I can.’
Mawhiney’s current work in progress centres on a minor character. ‘She is a character from Fugitive Rifts who has no memories of her past. This new book explores what happened to her in her past,’ she says.
And is there anything she would like to tell budding authors, especially those who give up writing if a few of their works do not do well? ‘I would like to say: never give up on something you love to do. One way to work through disappointment about outcomes—sales, fame, reviews, and so on—is to reframe your thinking or remind yourself why you write,’ Mawhiney says. ‘I write for the joy of writing and am inspired by moments when someone tells me they loved reading one of my books, when I see positive reviews, or when I am asked to speak or write about my books,’ she adds.
Furthermore, what Mawhiney has learnt over the last six years is that, unless you are already famous before you begin writing, success can be a long journey, no matter how you choose to measure it. ‘We all dream of appearing on a list of the top ten books and earning huge revenues from our writing, but very few authors enjoy that level of success. Once I accepted this reality, I looked for small moments that inspired me to keep going,’ she tells us.
I write for the joy of writing and am inspired by moments when someone tells me they loved reading one of my books, when I see positive reviews, or when I am asked to speak or write about my books.
~ A-M MAWHINEY
‘If You Love Writing, Just Keep Writing’
She does not stop there. She says she would advise any budding author to take the long view. ‘If you love writing, just keep writing. If you run into roadblocks, figure out ways of dealing with them. Join a writers’ group, spend time with supportive people, and network with other authors. I have met many supportive authors virtually through social media, and on disappointing days, touching base with them helps motivate me to keep writing,’ she shares.
As the interview draws to a close, we ask her if there is anything at all that she would like to change in the world, and Mawhiney’s response is excogitative, to say the least. ‘I would like people to pull together instead of pulling people apart. More unity, more respect, more hope, and less divisiveness,’ she says as she signs off.
We all dream of appearing on a list of the top ten books and earning huge revenues from our writing, but very few authors enjoy that level of success. Once I accepted this reality, I looked for small moments that inspired me to keep going.
Did you know a good dictionary will give you close to forty meanings of the word ‘play’? Yes, you read that right! You might also find it interesting to note that this cool word is actually derived from the Dutch word ‘plien’, which means ‘to leap for joy’ or ‘to rejoice’. Nevertheless, we do not think we would be wrong if we said you would have used this word in more than one way while indulging in generic conversations.
A couple of examples here may help you grasp some meanings of the word ‘play’. In the sentence, ‘I am playing chess with my sister,’ the word ‘play’ (used in its ‘ing’ form) functions as a transitive verb with the noun ‘chess’ being its direct object; but in the sentence, ‘We watched a short play in the theatre last night’, the word ‘play’ functions as a noun and the direct object of the verb ‘watched’. The verb ‘play’ can also mean ‘to perform’ as one can say something like, ‘It was Arnold Schwarzenegger who played the lead role in this movie.’ Also, I am sure you would have asked someone to play music for you. Or heard someone play the guitar. Phew… That is a lot of meanings already!
In this post, however, I am going to be listing ten interesting phrasal verbs with the word ‘play’. So if you are ready, let us go!
Phrasal Verb #1
play about/around
Meanings:(i) to act weirdly or stupidly (ii) to have one or more extramarital affairs
Example sentences:
Will you stop playing about (acting stupidly) and start focussing on the job at hand?
I surmised Smita’s husband was playing about (having extramarital affairs) when I saw him first, for as soon as I had a word with him, I figured out he was great at womanising.
Phrasal Verb #2
play about/around with (something)
Meaning: to consider different ways of doing a particular thing or trying different things before finally choosing one
Example sentences:
I am playing about with all the sparkle pens that I have as I am finding it difficult to figure out which of those will look great on this coloured sheet of paper.
The producer thinks you ought to play about with some ideas before shooting the next scene. He is definitely not happy with the previous shoot.
Phrasal Verb #3
play along
Meaning: to do what someone likes or pretend to agree with someone to avoid making the person angry or upset
Example sentences:
I think he is just playing along with all of us since he wants to find out what our next step of action is going to be.
He was shocked when he found out that he had been played along by the only person whom he considered his best friend.
Phrasal Verb #4
play (something) back or play back (something)
Meaning: to listen to recordings or watch videos that have just been recorded
Example sentences:
Could you record our conversation and play it back while typing out the mail so you do not miss anything important?
He played back the videos we made, and I realised right off the bat that something was amiss.
Note: The word ‘playback’, however, can function as both a noun and an adjective. A playback singer, for example, is a singer who performs backstage. Here, ‘playback’ functions as an adjective for the noun ‘singer’. Similarly, one can say, ‘The playback of the videos they recorded was awesome, so I didn’t have to spend much time working on it.’ Here, ‘playback’ is a noun as it refers to the action of playing back video recordings to monitor their quality.
Phrasal Verb #5
play off against
Meaning: to encourage two people or groups to fight each other in the hope of gaining some advantage
Example sentences:
I have had a bad opinion of her hitherto. Jacob had been playing us off against each other, but I am glad I have finally understood his evil intentions.
Do not try to play me off against my mother. She is the only person that I trust.
Meanings: (i) (Sports) Used to order the players to continue playing, especially after someone breaking the rules or suffering an injury (ii) to continue playing a musical instrument
Example sentences:
We were flabbergasted to see the umpire asking us to play on despite the wicket-keeper getting badly injured.
It was interesting to note that the band played on enthusiastically for almost an hour after it began raining.
Phrasal Verb #7
be played out(never active):
Meaning:to take place, happen, or unfold
Example sentences:
The way everything finally played out was embarrassing, to say the least.
Given the current situation, their wedding was played out without much pomp and splendour.
Meanings:(i) to pretend that a situation is real when in fact it is not (ii) (Sports) to play a match until the very end (iii) to exhaust
Example sentences:
Contrary to what you think, all is well between them. You have only been playing all those fights out unnecessarily.
When I asked him to play out the game of chess, he refused and walked away without saying a word.
His strenCTh played out very fast, and I managed to defeat him easily in the second and third rounds.
Phrasal Verb #9
play on/upon
Meaning:to manipulate a person to get them to do what you want or to use their fears or inhibitions to get them to do a task you want to be done
Example sentences:
Do you not think guys who market such products play on the fears of their prospective clients?
She has played on your weaknesses for far too long, and it is high time you ended your relationship with her.
Phrasal Verb #10
play down something or play something down
Meaning: to try to convince people that something is not that important or that it may not really happen
Example sentences:
When the COVID-19 case fatality rate seemed to be declining in India, I felt the Indian media were playing down the health risks posed by the Coronavirus.
He played down the environmental hazards that may be caused by the setting up of a nuclear power plant in that region.
Author Seth Voorhees lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota, where he attended Black Hills State University and earned a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and Psychology. His mornings, we are told, start with prayer, meditation, and a gratitude list. Then he lets out the family rabbit, Snowball, and feeds him. He writes and edits and writes and edits more until he has to leave for work. After work, he might go to the gym, meet with friends, or run errands, or, well, possibly all three. Then, he is back home to be with his family. The evening might have a movie or a puzzle in store for him, and it is usually followed by reading before bed. The only real change, however, happens during football season.
Having drawn on his experience in adolescent education and mental health to shape his stories, the quadragenarian, who also works as an evidence-based curriculum facilitator and staff trainer for partner sites and wishes to learn Lakota and Spanish, describes himself as a writer of dark fiction. In an exclusive interaction with B Sudharsan, the editor-in-chief of Literary Harbinger, the writer, who lives with his partner and stepdaughter, speaks about his four published books, the works in progress, his belief in the importance of having hobbies, and why he would like to see what he calls the ‘outrage culture’ eliminated. Excerpts from the edited interview:
SPECIAL TO LITERARYHARBINGER
B Sudharsan: It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr Voorhees. Thank you for agreeing to do this interview. As someone with four published books to his name, let me start by asking you a very straightforward question: When and how did it all begin? When exactly did you start writing?
Seth Voorhees: I first started when I was in middle school. That was the time I was obsessed with the Goosebumps series. I actually worked on stories and ideas for my own inspired versions. I wrote my first novel when I was nineteen, during my senior year of high school. Eventually, college and other interests took hold, and I put writing down as a serious endeavour for a while. In 2016, I picked it back up at the age of thirty-one, when I was struck by an idea inspired by the television show The Walking Dead. That idea turned into my second published novel, Immune: Rise of the Inflicted.
Where Conflict Shapes a New World
B Sudharsan: That sounds inspiring, to say the least. Immune: Rise of the Inflicted does have rave reviews. So, congratulations to you on that! Could you shed more light on this novel and discuss your other works as well?
Seth Voorhees: Sure. I have four published works. All are available online, on Amazon, or at your favourite bookstore. I always recommend Barnes & Noble. Immune: Rise of the Inflicted is a pandemic narrative that explores how the pandemic reshapes society. As sides form, a new class structure emerges, and conflict erupts between the Immune, those immune to the virus, and the Inflicted, who survive the virus’s harsh trials. Both sides try to rebuild society, and their conflict shapes a new world. As I have already stated, it is inspired by The Walking Dead. I have also taken inspiration from the experience of the swine flu scare.
The Interim is a horror novel about the small South Dakota town of Copper, which, for two weeks in October, is haunted by Leopold, a seemingly invincible, diabolical monster. It is a different coming-of-age story in which the town’s youth tire of this yearly ritual. This one is inspired by Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes.’
Mid-Glow, on the other hand, is set in the 1940s, around Pearl Harbor, and inspired by the allure of the 1930s bank robber. This version follows a group of bank robbers who are extorted by the very person they have been robbing. Forced to complete taboo tasks, they become part of a larger mystery.
And last but not least, Question 17 is another dystopian novel. Set forty years after Earth won a war against alien invaders, the story unfolds in a futuristic world. The main character, Cory, a brilliant student, lands an internship at a secretive government facility and becomes entangled in its secrets.
‘I Am the Free-Flowing Type’
B Sudharsan: Thank you very much for sharing your inspirations. Now that we understand you not only derive inspiration from books and TV shows but also real-life experiences, might I venture to ask whether you already have the plot and characters mapped out in your mind before you work on a story, or does the story unfold as you write?
Seth Voorhees: I was told there are two types of authors. The plotter—they get everything structured, outlined, and figured out before they start. Then there is the pantser—they write unencumbered and free-flowing. I am the free-flowing type, meaning I do not have an outline or structure. I always start with a nugget of inspiration from a book, show, movie, news article, or something I observe in real life. It starts with a scene, and then I drop the character into it. From there, it goes.
If what I have written is engaging and keeps me interested, the idea of what happens next will come to me later in the day; if it does not, the story was not meant to be. I never know what the finished product is until the end. Now, I will take notes here and there and maybe get inspiration for the next several chapters.
B Sudharsan: I love that. If I were to write a novel now, I would definitely be pantsing! How about the authors you read? Any favourites?
Seth Voorhees: Yes, when I was younger, it was Stephen King and R L Stine. But currently, my favourite authors are Darcey Coates, Jennifer McMahon, and Catriona Ward. Their characters are always well written, and their stories are never boring; they are filled with suspense and have great plots.
B Sudharsan: I cannot agree more, Mr Voorhees! I am given to understand you work a full-time job. So, our readers would like to know when you generally write. Do you tend to follow a fixed schedule? Or… do you write whenever you feel inspired?
Seth Voorhees: I write first thing in the morning, with a cup of coffee, in my office. Sometimes I have music, depending on my mood. The music is typically instrumental jazz or classical. The morning is when my imagination is at its best.
B Sudharsan: How do you balance writing with other responsibilities? Could you also share your hobbies and interests apart from writing?
Seth Voorhees: My other interests include fishing, reading, walking, doing puzzles, watching football during the season, and spending time with family. Of course, my job as an evidence-based curriculum facilitator and coordinator for adolescents and their sites’ staff is also a priority. I do not know if anyone can truly balance it all. I think you take it one day at a time. On some days, you have to neglect one to focus more on another, and then you make up for it on a different day.
B Sudharsan: Tell me about it. How about your works in progress though?
Seth Voorhees: I currently have several projects underway, and all I can say now is that they are all in the horror genre.
B Sudharsan: I love the suspense you are creating! (smiles) Now that you have published four books, it does make sense for me to ask you what you would like to tell budding authors, especially those who lose motivation when a few of their works do not perform well.
Seth Voorhees: I should say, write for the joy of creation. Failure, though, is part of the process, and you need to learn from it and apply what you have learned to your next projects.
On Importance of Having Hobbies
B Sudharsan: And if there is one thing you would like to change in this world, what would it be?
Seth Voorhees: The one thing I would change is to eliminate what I see as an ‘outrage culture’. I feel a lot of people look for things to be mad about, to complain about, and to be outraged by, and they are too sensitive. We have reached a point where if someone disagrees with you, we look upon them as an enemy, and we have to hate each other. I think we need to be more accepting, more mature, and more open-minded.
B Sudharsan: Thank you very much for your honest insights and for taking our questions. Wishing you all the very best in each of your future undertakings!
Seth Voorhees: It has been a pleasure! And before I leave, I would like to say something I strongly believe in, and that is the importance of having hobbies. I think all authors should have them. For me, at least, much of the inspiration for ‘what happens next’ or for a new story often comes when I am engaged in those activities. The two most important ones are walking and fishing.
I feel a lot of people look for things to be mad about, to complain about, and to be outraged by, and they are too sensitive. We have reached a point where if someone disagrees with you, we look upon them as an enemy, and we have to hate each other. I think we need to be more accepting, more mature, and more open-minded.
~ SETH VOORHEES
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Book: Pretty Flamingo Genre: Psychological Thriller Author: Perry Martin Rating: 5/5 Reviewer: Stavyah Vatsarah
Love. Hate. Betrayal. Romance. Horror. Hope. Separation. Reunion. Perry Martin’s debut novel, Pretty Flamingo, promises all of this and much more. It is a sublime tale that oscillates primarily between two time periods and two places: the late 1960s set in Brisbane, Australia, and the early 2000s largely set in California, the US. A poignant story of loss and separation, the novel does its best to address a metaphysical question you may have given a thought: Is it possible that we have ever lived before?
An Emotional Ride
As a reviewer, I am pretty darn sure the book will make you laugh and cry at the same time, surprise you with its wondrous twists, and possibly ensure you brood over questions that you might have considered way too philosophical hitherto. And even as it may cause you to shed tears of joy and sadness, it will most likely touch a part of your soul left untouched, thereby kindling a new magical spark. But does the book promise a happy end? Well, you will have to read the book to find that out!
Reading Pretty Flamingo, I found myself crying, shocked at the way certain events unfolded, and pleasantly surprised by the way the author ended it. It gave me what I needed – a break from the real world. I also found the plot resonating with me because I staunchly believe in the afterlife and the fact that the souls often assume a form based on the good and bad karma accumulated over thousands and millions of births. Nevertheless, I liked the way the author decided to build the main narrative around just two characters, detailing the time they spend together, the bond they share, and the uncanny activities they indulge in.
It is also worth mentioning that the story wonderfully goes back and forth, expounding the ‘forgotten’ days of the main character named David Perry and the life he is leading at present. The narrative is heavily influenced by music, leaving us convinced that the author, being a musician himself, does enjoy everything musical.
The main part of the story, anyhow, details David’s efforts to recover lost memories from a certain period during his teens. How does he come to forget such a significant part of his life? What happened back then?
My Take
I strongly suggest that every avid reader give Pretty Flamingo a read, for it will take you on a tootle that you may have never taken before, the return journey being as mystical as the initial one, if not more.
Perry Martin, I believe, is set to emerge as an author who will be read by millions in the near future. His is a style that resonates with readers who love simplicity, who like commonly used words being given a new meaning, and who wish to escape the real world with the sole intention of returning to it with something intriguing. So read Pretty Flamingo, for I know it will not disappoint you, and after you finish, you will only plausibly find yourself evolved, metamorphosed, and… experienced.
