From the Author's Site

Thirty-something Rhiannon is an obsessive planner and goal-setter, but somehow nothing she achieves ever seems good enough to her. Determined to lose forty pounds for her best friend's August wedding, Rhiannon flees her parents' house in a Christmas-day blizzard to avoid the temptation of all her favorite foods, but her car skids off the deserted road into a tree.

Unable to escape the car, with her leg trapped and bleeding and her cell phone out of reach, Rhiannon is at first certain she'll be rescued and writes notes to her friends and family to pass the time. As the weather cools and her condition deteriorates, though, she recognizes the possibility that her life might be over. Interspersed with increasingly desperate escape attempts, her letters become deeper and more heart-felt as she comes to see what really matters in life.

It's not a story I normally would have picked up to read, however I found it enjoyable.  The majority of the story is told in flashback and Rhiannon is definitely your standard high achiever and go-getter.  She's obsessed with goals and closes each day by running off her list of achievements while staring at herself in the mirror.  She applies the same methodical and diligent approach to all areas of her life, with her job as a brilliant programmer for a computer game, and with her attempt to lose weight.  There is a separate storyline with her former fiancé that really did keep the first 100 pages turning and the event that separates "before" and "now" is definitely not what you would expect, but it helps to clear up why Rhiannon has become even more goal-obsessed.

However, it's clear that Rhiannon's way of life is debilitating.  No one can be this driven in life without losing something else in the process, and she is no different.  The sacrifices that she makes to always check each item off her list seem suffocating, and almost a never-ending cycle of never feeling good enough.  I did wish that the story had been told more in a third person voice versus first person -- at times it seemed tough to really get to know the character because Rhiannon herself may not have been familiar with who she truly was.  And maybe that was the goal, but I think I would have felt it a bit more grounded if told in a more removed voice.  There also were a few scenes that, with clapping and cheering from co-workers, seemed just a little contrived and fit more with a typical "Hollywood" moment than in a story of a real girl who is faced with a revelation at, potentially, the last moments of her life.

The story, though, was well written and paced -- Rhiannon is an "every-girl" character.  Relatable to many women, her struggle to lose weight is forefront, but underneath it, her thoughts of true happiness in life are overshadowed by the immediate danger that she is in.  While she struggles to stay alive, she writes letters to the people that mean the most to her and as she writes, she feels the strength to acknowledge that perhaps she didn't really live her life the way she should have.  Is the realization too little, too late?  Or is it too late, but enough?  Questions that all of us, at one point or another, go through.

It's a sad story, yet uplifting, and it did keep my interest.  While it still may not be the type of book I normally pick up in the future, I enjoyed the story, and felt a bit better for it.

Thanks to the Crazy Book Tours for providing a copy for my review.  Visit the author's site by clicking here.

Happy Reading,
Coffee and a Book Chick

I am so very excited to share with you all the wonderful gift I received celebrating the Persephone Secret Santa program hosted this year by Claire from the Paperback Reader.  There were thirty-three participants from all over the world.  Made up of book bloggers, Library Thing members, and Twitter readers, she coordinated it so efficiently - thank you, Claire!  This is my first time participating and it will be my very first time reading a Persephone book, so I know I am in for a treat.

Thanks go to...  the fabulous Nadia at A Bookish Way of Life!!  She also just happened to throw in Sense and Sensibility and Monsters.  I've never read one of these sorts of books before, so I'm definitely excited for it!  And... the big reveal was the Persephone book -- The Making of a Marchioness, by Frances Hodgson Burnett!  Persephone Book # 29 was published in 1901 and is 328 pages of the most beautiful paper and ink printed upon it that I've ever had the good luck to lay my eyes upon and my hands to touch!  I am quite a lucky gal and I cannot wait to dive into this book.  According to Nadia, she wrote in her card that she felt it was a cheerful, happy story -- perfect for the holidays!

Oh, did I forget to mention that she also included that little red box full of delectable chocolate from Lindt? Have I failed to share with you that I dream of chocolate, will devour it within an instant upon having it within my grasp?  Suffice it to say that I did exercise some self-control this evening and only had one chocolate.   Hmm.  Well, maybe I had two?  Let's just say that the chocolates have found a fabulous new home!

Many, many thanks to Nadia at A Bookish Way of Life!  How thoughtful and kind for you to throw in those extra goodies and I wish you and yours a fabulous holiday season!

Happy Reading!

Coffee and a Book Chick

Thanks to all of our Mailbox Monday hosts!  Created by Marcia at The Printed Page and on tour this month with Jenny at Let Them Read Books.  A thank you as well to Sheila at Book Journey!

I'm excited about this past week - do take a look and let me know what you received as well.  Have you read the books that I received?  Did you like them?

• The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery - received from Paperbackswap
• Hera: Book One of The Goddess Chronicles, by Julien Longo - received from Fire Raven Press through Mariko at Fired Up Communications

And...

TWO autographed copies of Susan Gregg Gilmore's books thanks to Bermudaonion's giveaway.  Thanks, Kathy!  The books are:

• Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen, by Susan Gregg Gilmore
• The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove, by Susan Gregg Gilmore

What did you get this week?

Happy Reading,
Coffee and a Book Chick

Tonight, I'm honored that Robin Spano, debut author of Dead Politician Society, has stopped by to guest post on a subject near and dear to her as a new writer.  I had a chance to review Robin's incredibly fun and edgy book a few months ago (read my review by clicking here). I'd love to hear your thoughts to the challenge she poses to all of you in this post!

___________________________________________________

The online revolution is a new writer's best friend. Gone are the days when new and lesser-known writers had to languish in obscurity, only sometimes on some shelves, while big famous names – Nora Roberts, Stephen King – were everywhere for all book-buyers to see.

It's still famous names on the buzz tables. And airport stores and drugstores only stock bestsellers. But shelves aren't where people are shopping. Online retailers have just started to outsell brick-and-mortar stores. The ebook revolution takes that further – on Amazon, Kindle books have begun to outsell hardcovers.

This is sad news for bookstores – particularly independents, who do a lot for the book community. Maybe we'll see a shift to wine and book bars, or library-cafes with literary readings - I look forward to seeing how creative store owners are able to change with the times. I'd love to see a government incentive program help stores make the transition.

But we can't stifle progress because one side of the industry is dying. There is so much rebirth going on.

Yesterday, Publishers Weekly's released a report saying ebooks have reached 8.7% of the total book market share. That's up from 1.5% in the first quarter of 2009. Sales can't keep climbing at that rate – they'd be over half of the market by the middle of 2012. But ebooks are finally at a place where even those who fear them can't ignore them and hope they go away.

As a new writer, these statistics are the happiest news I could hear. Ebooks and online retailers go a long way toward leveling the playing field, so new and lesser-known writers can have their work available to anyone, anywhere.

Publishers are less thrilled, but the savvy ones are shifting their business models to include and promote ebooks. My publisher, ECW Press, has even recently launched an ebook imprint.

But what no one seems to know is how to price ebooks. New releases are currently valued between $10-$12. I think that's a ludicrously high standard set by fearful big publishers who are afraid of ebooks putting them out of business. I guess they think if they price the ebook so high, it won't steal their print sales – and if it does, they won't lose money.

It's time to kill that fear. Ebooks are here to stay, and they are by no means terrorizing the industry. Environmentally, they're a massive step forward. It's time to figure out a price that's both fair to the consumer, and still makes it worth a publisher's and writer's time and effort.

I think that price is $4.99 – about half of a mass market paperback. An ebook can't be loaned, it can't be signed, and – come on publishers, you know this: it costs a lot less to produce.

ECW Press disagrees. They've priced my mystery novel at $10.99. They don't want to make it lower because (a) they're afraid to devalue it by making it less than other new releases in its genre, and (b) they don't think people shop based on price – they don't think more copies will sell if it's cheaper.

I differ on both counts. On (a) I promise not to feel devalued. I'd like the book to cost what it's worth – not what the big publisher dinosaurs are trying to set as the standard. On (b) my mouth drops. What? Who doesn't shop based on price? Take me shopping.

So they've set up this challenge. I feel lucky to be with ECW, because they're like that. They don't tell me to go away with my little opinion – they say, okay, we'll entertain this.

Until Monday, December 13^th, Dead Politician Society is $1.99 in iBooks, Kobo, and Kindle stores. ECW has run similar experiments and they've seen no spike in sales. So if sales stay static, I'll concede – I'll agree that price doesn't drive ebook sales.

But if sales do spike, ECW will look at what book buyers are saying to them. They'll rethink their price structure. They might not change all at once, but they love books, they love readers, and they care about going strongly into the future. 

They're listening.

___________________________________________________

Thank you so much for stopping by, Robin - I look forward to the next book in the Clare Vengel series!

And I encourage all of you to take on her challenge!

Happy Reading,

Coffee and a Book Chick