1st Edition, October 1, 2012

Madam Librarian Recommendation
Liesl Seborg, Senior Librarian, Adult Services, Outreach and Programming Salt Lake County Library Services--Hunter Library recommends the following book:

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

This novel is one of my most favorite books of all time! I listened to this book and was incredibly wrapped up in the story. It has a secret library with book guardians, a mysterious author and romance. Set in Barcelona, 1864, the descriptions are lovely and the story is haunting. A fabulous choice for reading or listening!

More reviews:
"Wonderous... masterful... The Shadow of the Wind is ultimately a love letter to literature, intended for readers as passionate about storytelling as its young hero." --Entertainment Weekly (Editor's Choice)

"One gorgeous read." --Stephen King

Canyonland Press was unable to contact the author, we have taken the liberty to use his public bio from his website.

Carlos Ruiz Zafón is a Spanish novelist. Born in Barcelona in 1964, he has lived in Los Angeles, United States, since 1994, and works as a scriptwriter aside from writing novels.

His first novel, El príncipe de la niebla (The Prince of Mist, 1993), earned the Edebé literary prize for young adult fiction. He is also the author of three more young-adult novels, El palacio de la medianoche (1994), Las luces de septiembre (1995) and Marina (1999).

In 2001 he published the novel La sombra del viento ("The Shadow of the Wind"), his first "adult" novel, which has sold millions of copies worldwide. Since its publication, La sombra del viento has garnered critical acclaim around the world and has won numerous international awards. Ruiz Zafón's works have been published in more than 40 countries and have been translated into more than 30 languages.

YOUNG ADULT FICTION – It Crosses Generations
By Amy Durham

Have you ever felt invisible in the middle of your own life?
Have you ever walked into a crowded room and felt like no one noticed you?
Have you ever felt completely on the fringes of normality?
Have you ever felt the conflicting emotions of hating the shallowness and superficial-ness of the “in crowd”, and yet at the same time wanting so badly to be a part of it?
Have you ever felt sad and depressed for no obvious reason?
Have you ever felt completely unappreciated, as if there’s not a soul on the planet who cares or acknowledges what you have to offer?
Have you ever longed for someone to think you’re pretty or cute or smart or funny?
Have you ever wished you had just one person to talk to, only to realize at every turn that there's no one?
Have you ever just wanted to feel like you belonged somewhere, anywhere?
Welcome to the tumultuous world of adolescence.

EVERY SINGLE kids feel like this. Sometimes there are real reasons for these feelings. Sometimes the feelings are completely irrational. But you know what? It doesn’t really matter whether the feelings are rational or not. They still FEEL them. And the result is the same.

To some degree, we never fully outgrow those feelings. At least it seems that way to me! Sure, as adults, we’re able to see the big picture, and can (most of the time) discern when our feelings are irrational, but I’ll be the first to admit that those feelings I described above still creep up on me from time to time.

This is why I LOVE Young Adult fiction. Because kids need reading material that can meet them where they are… fiction that mirrors their own lives, feelings, and experiences, and yet offers hope and encouragement that things really can work out okay and perseverance really can pay off. They need to see that other teens (and former teens!) have felt that same sense of loneliness, isolation, sadness, longing, and invisibility that they experience, and that those people have been able to come out of those situations stronger and more equipped to handle life and all that comes with it. The fact that most adults still sometimes experience those same feelings just widens the appeal of quality, relevant Young Adult fiction. Good YA fiction reaches across the generations, to speak to the teenager in all of us, and remind us all that we really do have reason to be encouraged and hopeful.

2nd Edition, September 15, 2012

Welcome to the Idea edition! Canyonland Press editors have interviewed three authors from three different genre's.

Paranormal/Timetravel
By Mary Martinez

Welcome Melissa Mayhue to Canyonland. Let's begin with her bio.

MELISSA MAYHUE began her writing career in 2005 after a vacation to Scotland and a hike on the Black Isle inspired her with the perfect setting for the characters running around in her head. Her resulting debut novel, THIRTY NIGHTS WITH A HIGHLAND HUSBAND, won the Holt Medallion and Book Buyers Best awards in 2008 and made the finals of the Colorado Book Awards.

Since then, her imaginary world of Faeries and Mortals has continued to grow. A HIGHLANDER’S HOMECOMING, sixth book in her award-winning Daughters of the Glen series from Pocket Books, was a 2011 RITA finalist in the Paranormal Category. WARRIOR’S REDEMPTION, the first book of The Warriors series, released in January 2012 with the second, WARRIOR REBORN due out in November 2012.

Married and the mother of three sons, Melissa lives in beautiful Northern Colorado with her family and two very spoiled Boston Terriers.

You can visit her on the web at: www.MelissaMayhue.com

Mary: As an author, I’m sure you are asked a lot of questions about where you get your ideas. I didn’t think readers would be interested in anything to do with the process, however my local librarian has assured me that readers find that very fascinating. So, where do your ideas come from?

Ms. Mayhue: I wish I could point to one spot and tell you that’s where they come from. If I could, I would hang out there ALL the time!!!  The ideas come from everywhere. Generally, when I start a book, I know who my lead characters are and what internal and external challenges they face. Many of my ideas for story events are triggered as I do research to confirm the accuracy in my historical time period. Others have been triggered as I read through old mythology texts. Once the story is up and running, ideas spring from everything I do. A piece of music I hear might trigger an image of a character in a particular situation. A dry year where I live might spark wildfires and, because they’re on my mind, they show up in a story. Looking through a cookbook, searching for a word in the dictionary, those pesky, elusive ideas hide everywhere.

Mary: As a Paranormal/Time travel author, do you think your idea process is different? It’s not as if what you write happens in normal everyday life.

Ms. Mayhue: I don’t really think my creative process is different because I write Paranormal/Time Travel. My ideas get to be wilder, but certain things are universal, regardless of whether you’re writing Paranormal, Historical or Contemporary. For example, I mentioned above that each of my characters have internal struggles that I usually know at the beginning of each book. Those struggles – lack of confidence, fear of abandonment, self-doubt, etc – those are all things that people deal with every day. At the heart of the writing is the character and the characters are just people. And people, whether they’re living in Scotland in 1296 or Colorado in 2012, --or even if they have Faeries next door!! -- they’re all pretty much the same.

Mary: Writing paranormal/time travel I would imagine you had a very vivid imagination as a child. Tell us if you did, or how growing up has helped you in your writing?

Ms. Mayhue: I was an only child and spent a lot of time as my own playmate. That meant I was an avid reader from early on, which I think contributed to developing my imagination. I loved to pretend. Whether I was a teacher or a cowgirl or a mommy, many of my games were played out in my head. Barbies were one of my favorite toys and I think I was having my dolls live out their own romantic fantasies even before I had ever read my first Romance novel! I have always been a sucker for that Happy Ever After!!

Thank you, Melissa for joining Chanyonland Press today. Next month Melissa will be answering questions about Characterization.

Historical Romance
by Marie Higgins

DEBRA BROWN is a wife and mother of adult children. She was born in Minnesota and spent some years there, and has also lived in San Diego and Idaho. She is now settled in Oregon. She studied nursing, homeopathy and art, all of which have been a great part of her life. She loves traveling and has spent years in creative fields, painting, making jewelry and working with an interior designer. This variety has also helped her in her writing career. It contributes to rounding out her stories which she so loves writing.

Her debut novel is The Companion of Lady Holmeshire, published by World Castle Publishing. Her second is not yet published, but she hopes it will be in the next months. It is currently titled For the Skylark, and meant to be the first in a series. Debra also started a historical blog for both readers and writers who love history. http://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.com/ 

Marie: As an author of historical fiction, where does your ideas come from?

Debra: I used to watch period movies for years as I made jewelry. During the recession I put my jewelry business aside. It was too slow, and I was a little tired of it. I decided to write a novel as a hobby. I never thought it would be published. To get some ideas, I went to the library and brought home some large picture books about England. Certain pictures triggered ideas which developed into The Companion of Lady Holmeshire. My second novel, titled For the Skylark as I work on it, started with thoughts about one of Charles Dickens' great characters, Miss Havisham. She had intrigued me all my life, and I created my own reclusive woman, the mother of adult twins who must live in forced seclusion with her.

Marie: Do you think your plot ideas are any different than suspense or paranormal authors?

Debra:  My stories are actually historical suspense. I love mysteries and suspense. I don't have any inclination to put murder and bodies into the stories, but the mysterious settings and suspense appeal to me.

Marie: Did your childhood / teenage years have anything to do with you wanting to be a historical author?

Debra: Yes, very much. I loved reading historical fiction or contemporary fiction written a few centuries ago. I never dreamed at the time I would become an author, but I loved being pulled into the past.

Debra, thank you for taking the time to answer questions for us. Readers, you can find Debra here.


Romantic Adventure
by Anna Sugg

Kim, welcome to Canyonland Press. We’re excited to hear about your romantic adventure novels. Kim’s bio:

Working for the National Park Service has given Kim McMahill and her husband the opportunity to live in Grand Teton, Hawaii Volcanoes, Guadalupe Mountains, Carlsbad Caverns and Wind Cave national parks, and on the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi. Residing amid some of America’s most stunning landscapes and extensive travels to remote parts of the world have provided inspiration for many of her books and articles. Along with her passion for romantic adventure stories, Kim has also published over eighty travel and geographic articles, and contributed to a travel anthology and cookbook. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography from the University of Wyoming and currently resides along the unpredictable banks of the Missouri River. For more information visit her website or blog at http://kimmcmahill.com or http://kimmcmahill.blogspot.com.

Anna: What inspired you to write romantic adventure novels?

Kim: I’ve always enjoyed reading about exciting places and people who accomplish extraordinary feats when faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges. A couple of my favorite authors are Clive Cussler and James Rollins, both of whom write outrageous stories that make my heart race at times and wonder, “what if.” I’m always disappointed when their tales come to an end. Growing up in the rural west and travelling the world has molded me into a modest adventurer, but writing allows me to take exploits to the extreme without risk to life or limb. But, deep down I’m a romantic. Romantic elements make stories more relatable and nothing is a better catalyst for forcing someone to take action outside his or her comfort zone than love. So, I believe combining romance and adventure is always a winning combination.

Anna: Are you planning on writing another Romantic Adventure novel? If so, share with us, please.

Kim:I always have at least one novel in the works and usually I have multiple stories going at the same time. I enjoyed writing about my home state so much in Big Horn Storm that I’ve begun another romantic adventure set in northwestern Wyoming. The book’s not too far along yet, so I’d better not divulge much since at this stage in the project everything is subject to change. I’ve also completed a story which involves simultaneous break-ins at three of the world’s most secure museums, destruction of one of the greatest manmade wonders of the world and the massacre of an unarmed South American village which ignites a desperate scramble to locate a deadly group of terrorists. And, amid the chaos our hero discovers the woman who can heal his emotional scars.

Anna: Are all your adventure books located in places that you’ve visited?

Kim: I haven’t visited all the places I’ve written about, but many have provided inspiration for my stories. Several of my novels have been set in Mexico because the country was once a fairly frequent destination of mine. I’ve been to numerous Mayan ruins, and Cobá and Chichén Itzá have figured prominently in Deadly Ruins and Marked in Mexico, respectively. Though, once the characters leave the mapped ruins the rest of the scenes come from my imagination and research. In Desperate Dreams the fictitious southwest New Mexico town is based on a place I once lived and the descriptions of Big Bend National Park come from my visits to the area. Many of our National Parks seem to be filled to the brim with visitors, but whenever I’m in Big Bend I feel a bit alone, insignificant in its vast expanse, and like anything could happen. My most recent novel, Big Horn Storm, is set in the Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming. I have a treasure-trove of fond memories of camping, fishing and riding horses and four-wheelers in this amazing place. One of the greatest things about writing fiction is that you can take what you see and make it more exciting, dangerous or more idyllic, but sometimes the real world is so interesting or perfect nothing needs changed.

Kim MaMchill has a new romantic adventure novel released this month, Big Horn Storm. Check out her blog and website for details.

I want to thank Kim for visiting us at Canyonland Press today. We are looking forward to her return visit next month to talk about how she develops her characters, research and how she names her characters.

1st Edition, September 1, 2012

Madam Librarian Recommendation
Elizabeth, Librarian, Brigham City Library

Dead Scared by S.J. Bolton
When a rash of suicides tears through Cambridge University, DI Mark Joesbury recruits DC Lacey Flint to go undercover as a student to investigate. Although each student’s death appears to be a suicide, the psychological histories, social networks, and online activities of the students involved share remarkable similarities, and the London police are not convinced that the victims acted alone. They believe that someone might be preying on lonely and insecure students and either encouraging them to take their own lives or actually luring them to their deaths. As long as Lacey can play the role of a vulnerable young woman, she may be able to stop these deaths, but is it just a role for her? With her fragile past, is she drawing out the killers, or is she herself being drawn into a deadly game where she’s a perfect victim?

Author Spotlight: S.J. Bolton
We asked S.J. Bolton so questions, and she was very happy to give us an interview.

CanyonLand: What was your inspiration for this story?
S.J. Bolton: Books, for me, are rarely inspired by a single idea, more often they represent an amalgamation of several thoughts that I may have been mulling around for a while, sometimes several years. I know the time is right for me to start work when I see the thread that binds the diverse parts together. In the case of Dead Scared, I'd been grimly fascinated for a while by the growing rate of internet-driven suicides. Depressed and desperate people, with nowhere left to turn, seek solace on the web, only to find themselves prey to internet trolls, who feed off and actively encourage the misery of others. I wanted to explore to what extent murder could be committed with no direct contact between perpetrator and victim. At the same time, I was very interested in the notion of how we are all scared in different ways. What is it about spiders, the dark, heights, etc, that can cause people to lose the ability to think rationally? I wondered whether it was possible to scare someone to death. Finally, I wanted to write a story that deals with bullying and that looks at what drives groups of young, intelligent people to gang up on those they perceive to be weaker. The binding thread was my new series character, the young undercover detective, Lacey Flint, who has as many demons of her own to battle, as the women whose lives she is trying to save.

CanyonLand:Are there any more stories in your future?
S.J. Bolton:I've just finished the third in the Lacey Flint series, title yet to be confirmed, but due for US publication in the summer of 2013. In this work, Lacey is back in her home city of London, struggling to deal with the events of Dead Scared, and wanting nothing more than to be left alone.

When a serial killer appears to be targeting young boys, abandoning their bodies on the banks of the River Thames, she resists being drawn into the investigation. Until the son of the man she loves becomes the latest victim.

CanyonLand:Where can your fans find you?
S.J. Bolton:‘Readers can contact me directly via my website www.sjbolton.com. I am also on Facebook (S J Bolton) and Twitter (@authorsjbolton) and Goodreads (SJ Bolton)

Don't forget to browse the right side for all the librarian recommendations. They are all nominated for the inaugural Canyonland Press Readers Choice Awards coming up! don't miss out on some excellent reader! Then VOTE!

Banned Books Week 2012 – Read What You Choose!
By: Amy Durham

When I was in high school, the censorship craze was in full swing. During my junior year, my English teacher assigned a book report and gave us a lengthy list of books from which to choose. When I saw "The Catcher in the Rye" on the list, I immediately decided that was the book I would read. I chose it solely because it was one of the titles being bandied about as "inappropriate" for students. Thought it's been a few years and, admittedly, there are many things I don't remember about it, I do remember thinking that Holden Caufield was just a high school kid, like me and the kids I knew. His language and his actions didn't shock or offend me. He was a teenager. And... big shocker here... teenagers sometimes misbehave and cuss. Holden was a teenager with baggage struggling to find his way. Sure, his drinking and cavorting around New York City wasn't all that smart... but kids don't always make smart decisions. And besides, it's fiction, right?

This year, the annual “Banned Books Week” begins on September 30. In preparation of the observation of this cause that’s very near and dear to my heart, I recently visited the Banned Book Week website (www.bannedbooksweek.org). I encourage all of you to peruse the website as well. On the “about” page, you’ll find a list of the 10 most challenged books of 2011. On that list… The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (due to violence, among other things) and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (due to offensive language and themes of racism). I was simply aghast. In 2012, are we really still arguing about the racist references in a book that is widely considered to be the finest work of fiction of the 20th century? Are we really still ignoring the fact that the book was set in Alabama in the 1930’s, when racism and all that came with it ran rampant? Are we really still ignoring the greater message of the book, that Scout and her brother, with their father’s help, grow into compassionate, kind, color-blind young people who see the value and the good in every person? Are people in this country really jumping on the anti-Hunger-Games bandwagon because of the violence in the book, and failing to see that the series teaches incredible lessons about the value of human life and what it means to be a compassionate individual in the midst of greed and debauchery? Let me be clear – there is a big difference in being an involved parent and taking an active role in the books your kids read, shielding them from things you feel they aren’t ready for and just blindly striking a book from the list of possibilities because you’ve “heard” it’s violent or has bad language. I encourage good parenting. I discourage blind censorship.

I thought I couldn’t be anymore surprised, and then I clicked on the “mapping censorship” tab. That censorship is still so widespread in this country is a staggering thought. This year for “Banned Books Week”, I encourage you to take a look at the website and find a book to read. Visit your local bookseller or library and tell the person who assists you that you are observing banned books week by exercising your right to read whatever book you choose!

2nd Edition, August 15, 2012

Ask an Author
by Marie Higgins

The question was asked, "What does it mean when your characters talk to you?"

This is a good question, ML Blue. I have told so many people that I don't write my stories - but my characters do. If you have a friend who is a writer, you have probably heard them talk about 'voices' in their heads. Well...I'm quite sure some hear voices. Some see scenes flash in their head. Some dream about the story. When characters 'talk' to us, it means we (writers) are in touch with our muse - our creativity so much that we know what kind of story our characters want us to write. Most of us aren't crazy for hearing voices - or seeing scenes flash through our minds. (Now Stephen King...he's a different sort of writer. hahahaha)

When I sit down to write a story, I usually have an idea of what I want my characters to do. The more in-depth we write our characters, the more we'll hear them. I'll start a dialogue, and I can see my characters talking to each other... They are 'talking' to me so-to-speak. I once had a story 3/4 of the way written when an editor told me to change the hero's name. I took that advice, then I wished I hadn't because my hero was upset and didn't like his new name. For six weeks he didn't talk to me...which means my muse (creativity) didn't work. I couldn't see the story and I couldn't 'hear' my characters. Finally the name grew on him, and Damien started talking once again.

Please email your questions to me for next month's issue of "Ask An Author".

Book Titles
by Anna Sugg

I think book titles are a great way to hook a reader. What do you think?

Many times I’ve been drawn to a book just because of the title. I checked Goodread.com’s 100 lists of great titles, a few that you might recognize were Where the Wild Things Are, The Grapes of Wrath, A Wrinkle in Time, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (hmm, don’t recognize that one!), Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Okay, that’s their opinion. A couple of titles that I like are Wuthering Heights, Charlotte’s Web, and of course, The Lord of the Rings. Actually, I could list more, but I’ll let you think of the titles you like the best. There have been titles that I really liked, but discovered the novel wasn’t for me, for instance, Eat, Pray, and Love.

Did you know the publisher has the last say for a title and not the author? For instance, would you be drawn to this title Trimalchio in West Egg? This was the first title of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Now, we all recognize that title. Would you have bothered to read it with the first title splashed across the book cover?

One of my favorite books that I read when I was young was Gone with the Wind (love the title). Did you know the original title was Pansy?

Authors spend hours pondering over what to name their novel and many times it’s changed by the publishers. Titles should be an overall impression of the novel, even create the tone of the book, don’t you think? It’s frustrating when you’ve read a book and wonder how they came up with such a title.

Maybe titles for well established authors aren’t as important as new authors looking to be discovered. When you hear the title Twilight, everyone immediately associated that title with Stephenie Meyers’ books. Or, how many of you have the Bourne trilogy? Did you read Hunger Games before the movie? Did these titles hook you?

To attract readers, titles as well as book covers, are highly important. Don’t you think? Please check out the list of book titles in Canyonland Press and let us know what you think about the titles our authors have on their books.

New fun things at the Library!
by Mary Martinez

Once again I've gone to the library, this time for a meeting. I asked the branch manager what she likes as a reader. As in, what does she find interesting about authors. You're going to have to wait for the answer. In the next few months we're going to do some articles based on her answers.

While I was there I browsed as I usually do. I love books. I have an iPad, which I have several Apps; for Kindle, Nook, iBooks, Kobo and now I have a new one. It's called overdrive. What is it? I'm more than happy to tell you.

It's how you check out books from the library to use on any of your devices. I for one would love to be able to check something out at 2 a.m. instead of go to the cyber book store and pay $$ for a new book when I can't sleep. Or any time for that matter. Anyway...

Once you've downloaded the app (you can also get it from from the App Store on your device) it goes to a screen that has a Get Books option you can great a book shelf with libraries. You can add as many libraries as you'd like from New York to San Diego, all over the world, or as I've done, my local library. Any time, any place, as long as you have 4G or a WiFi connect on your device, you have instant books, for free.

There are some conditions, just like checking a book out does, you have to have it turned in, in time. It has some type of time code and after three to four weeks, depending on the libraries policy, it will automatically delete from your device. You can't horde books in otherwords. And you cannot have an overdue eBook, so no fees!

The library manager of my local library, you may notice she has recommended a few books for us, Trish Hull, was a guest on Studio 5, a local studio morning show if you'd like to view a video with instructions you can find it here...

Now go out and enjoy the wonderful world of books!

1st Edition, August 1, 2012

Madam Librarian Recommendation
Liesl Seborg, Senior Librarian, Salt Lake County Library Services--Hunter Library

Some Sing, Some Cry. “This is an incredibly well-written story of the generations of Mayfield women and their connections and disconnections over lifetimes. Music and perseverance pervade this saga where richly crafted characters travel the world from South Carolina through wars in Europe and Vietnam to modern day France. Well worth a read or listen!”

Left - Ifa Bayeza, Right - Ntozake Shange

Authors Sportlight: Ntozake Shange and Ifa Bayeza
We were unable to reach Ms. Shange and Ms. Bayeza for comment, but the public link an bio can be found on aalbc.com the number one site for African American Literature, www.aalbc.com:

“Award-winning writer Ntozake Shange and real-life sister, award-winning playwright Ifa Bayeza achieve nothing less than a modern classic in this epic story of the Mayfield family. Opening dramatically at Sweet Tamarind, a rice and cotton plantation on an island off South Carolina's coast, we watch as recently emancipated Bette Mayfield says her goodbyes before fleeing for the mainland. With her granddaughter, Eudora, in tow, she heads to Charleston. There, they carve out lives for themselves as fortune-teller and seamstress. Dora will marry, the Mayfield line will grow, and we will follow them on an journey through the watershed events of America's troubled, vibrant history -- from Reconstruction to both World Wars, from the Harlem Renaissance to Vietnam and the modern day. Shange and Bayeza give us a monumental story of a family and of America, of songs and why we have to sing them, of home and of heartbreak, of the past and of the future, bright and blazing ahead.”

Expanding Your Reading Experience
By: Amy Durham

Many times, after finishing a book I've thoroughly enjoyed, I find myself a little sad. Sometimes I even slow down the pace of my reading as I near the end of the book so I can draw out the experience. It's actually a rather sweet feeling, to have enjoyed a book so much that I'm sad when it ends.

If you've ever found yourself in a similar situation, I'd like to suggest a few ways that you can expand that experience, so that when you finish the last page and close the covers of the book, it feels less abrupt and leaves you with a fun sense of anticipation.

When you realize, in the course of your journey through the book, that the story is speaking to you and pulling you in, decide at that point that you will visit the author's blog or website once you finish the book. It's a simple process in this day and age to contact an author, and while I'm certainly not condoning author-stalking, authors love reader feedback. A comment on a blog post or a sincere email, letting the author know how moved you were by his or her story, will not only provide affirmation to the author, but it also expands the reader's experience, allowing you a "positive closure" for an enjoyable reading experience.

Next, consider reviewing the book. This is yet another way to let the author know - as well as other enthusiastic readers - that this is a book worth investing in. Readers value the opinion of other readers, so reviewing the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or other retailers will help others find and choose the book that you enjoyed so much. It also allows you a way to process your feelings about a good book, a way to extend the experience in a way that expresses your thoughts and enthusiasm for the story you loved.

Finally, check out the author's other titles, if you haven't already. Many times the style of writing that you loved in one story will also be present in other books by the same author. While it's true that particular character types and story lines appeal to you, you may find that the author's particular style appeals to you. So, it's worth your time to take a look at an author's back list, or watch his or her website for news of upcoming releases.

Rather than bottling up your enthusiasm when you finish a great book, try these suggestions! They will expand your reading experience, offering ways to "close out" the experience of reading a book you loved by giving the author feedback, telling other readers how much you loved the book, and giving you a sense of anticipation for other books you might love even more!

2nd Edition July 15, 2012

Why are some genre's more popular than others? That is the theme of our issue.

Empress Theater Magna, Utah 

Paranormal - What goes bump in the night?
By Mary Martinez
Why do people read what they do? I don't know. Why do some people absolutely love to be scared, sit on the edge of their seats and can't wait to turn the next page to have something jump out at them? And yet other people won't even pick up a scary book?

This is a bit off the subject, but what I find fascinating is that not everyone watches the same thing on TV as they read in a book. Do you? I love to ghost hunt, yes back on subject, but yet I don't watch all those paranormal, ghost hunter series they have one now. Once in a while I watch an episode of Phsych, but it's more comedy than anything.

So why do people read paranormal? I know I asked this question before, but is it the unknown? Does it make them wonder, could this really happen? Be happening? I guess it depends what you're reading, I mean how many people read about vampires and think those two questions?

Ridiculous right? Maybe not. I'm reading Discovery of Witches right now. There are Witches, Vampires and daemons (author's spelling, not mine) all walking around intermingling with the humans. Have I looked around at the people on the bus and wondered, could he be... Yes! Well if you'd seen the people on the bus you'd wonder too.

Back to why do people read paranormal? True it's a matter of taste, but also paranormal is an umbrella that covers so many different things. I for one do not like to read vampire stories. I may not have started the book I'm reading now if I'd known, yet I'm finding it interesting. But vampires or werewolf's do not do it for me. But witches, ghosts, druids, faeries, I love all of those. I even like a bit of time travel.

Some paranormal is like suspense, it can keep you on the edge of your seat. You know there is a creature in the basement and you just want to scream at the character not to go down the stairs. Yet, you can't wait until he or she does. Isn't it the same when you know the killer is down there?

Summing it all up, I don't know why one person reads paranormal and another person hates it. It's all a matter of taste. Please take a minute to take the survey on the right and let Canyonland Press readers know what you like about paranormal.

Suspense or Mystery?
by Anna Sugg
Which do you like to read? Suspense? Mysteries? Do you know the difference between suspense and mystery?

I’m a suspense person myself. One great author that comes to mind is Mary Stewart. She started writing romance suspense, as well as historical fictions, in the mid-1950s through the 1980s. You’re in for a treat if you’ve never read her novels, which continue to be reprinted over and over again.

Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense, said that suspense isn’t related to fear, but “a state of waiting for something to happen”. As you read a good suspense novel, you feel the tension, alert to what is surely going to happen, and hold your breath, waiting. This is suspense. Hitchcock kept the audience informed as the story progressed with that suspense building. He was a master.

Mysteries, on the other hand, are puzzles. Usually asking who and why the crime was committed. An intriguing mystery revolves around something that has already happened, as opposed to something that’s going to happen. Of course, you do find mysteries containing many elements of suspense, especially while the villain is still at large. Mysteries, typically lack surprises, but the puzzled drama of whodunit keeps us turning the pages, like a game.

Simple differences: suspense is the imminent danger that needs to be resolved; mystery is the intellectual game of puzzles that need to be unraveled.

Mystery Writers of America listed their best 100 mysteries and at the top was the complete Sherlock Holmes by author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Also on the list was Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, John Grisham’s A Time to Kill, and the 100th was Ira Levin’s Rosemary’s Baby. Here’s the link: http://www.bestcrimebooks.com/top-100-mysteries-of-all-time-mystery-writers-of-america/

Do you agree with their list of best 100 mysteries? Really now, are these the best? What would your list look like? Of course the above list is different from the top ten best-selling mysteries of all times: http://top-10-list.org/2010/10/22/top-ten-best-selling-mystery-writers/

One of Amazon’s top ten picks for romance suspense authors listed Naked in Death by J.D. Robbs and the fifth place was my favorite book by Catherine Coulter (love that author) The Maze an FBI Series.

After asking several friends about their favorite authors, and if they knew if they were suspense or mystery writers, they didn’t seem to know or care if they were one or the other. Bottom line, it’s the content that’s important.

All in all, by the time I completed my research on the difference between suspense and mystery, it was not so complicated to tell the difference between the two. But while searching for the top best mystery and suspense authors, I discovered many authors were listed under both, and there are so many lists, that when it comes right down to it, it’s a certain person or group’s opinion. Hmm, maybe I should do my own list. What do you think?
Please take a minute to take the survey on the right and let Canyonland Press readers know what you like about Mystery/Suspense.

Historicals - a wonderful getaway
by Marie Higgins

When I first started reading romance novels, my first book was a historical by Kathleen E Woodiwiss, "A Rose in Winter".  I was swept away in another world where men were gentlemen and women were proper...and everyone had manners and etiquette.  Times were so different back then that most people don't believe things like that happened.  Did women really wear dresses all the time? Did gentlemen really wear top hats and walk with walking-sticks? And really...did all they ever do was go to balls or have tea parties?  But really, it doesn't matter!  What matters to me is that I'm swept away in another world where I can imagine myself wearing a beautiful ball gown dancing with a charming gentleman (or rogue).  My two favorite eras are Regency and Victorian.

REGENCY (1795-1837) - The era was a time of excess for the aristocracy: for example, it was during this time that the Prince Regent built the Brighton Pavilion. However, it was also an era of uncertainty caused by several factors including the Napoleonic wars, periodic riots, and the concern (threat to some, hope to others) that the British people might imitate the upheavals of the French Revolution.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Regency

VICTORIAN (1837-1901) - When 18 year old Princess Victoria pictured in the header above, became Queen in 1837 no one dreamed she would reign for the rest of the century for another 64 years. The name Victorian to describe the whole period is a misnomer as for some years at the beginning of the era, Regency attitudes prevailed. After 1840 when Victoria married Albert we see the heyday of Victorian attitudes of prudery and a strict outwardly moral code that lasted until about 1890 when Prince Edward the Prince Of Wales and his more spirited lifestyle was echoed in society.  http://www.fashion-era.com/victorians.htm

I love these eras because of their manners, their language, and their courtesy.  I've always thought reading books in these eras were more romanctic.  And I know I'm not the only one.  Historical romance is booming!  More and more authors are writing in this genre almost to the point that the publishing companies have too many!  But that's okay with me.  The more...the merrier!  I encourage you to pick up a historical romance (any era you like) and read. I can pretty much guarantee you'll love it!

 

1st Edition, July 1, 2012

Madam Librarian Recommendation
Trish Hull /Manager Magna Library

Liver Let Die 
by Liz LippermanThe title almost put me off at first, because I hate liver. Rest easy, the book has nothing to do with liver. (Well maybe foie gras does play a prominent role). Anyway, this gem of a mystery had me laughing and confused the whole way through. This first novel has lots of twists and turns with a thoroughly engaging heroine who you can’t help but root for. This is a great variation on the chef as detective cozy. I may actually try these recipes, especially Rosie’s potato chip chicken.

Author Spotlight Liz Lipperman

Canyonland: Liz can you tell our readers a bit about yourself, please.

Liz:  A retired nurse, I began writing as a hobby over twenty years ago. Until recently, I thought I was a romance writer despite the fact that my stories all had bad guys and murders. When my agent broke it to me that I was a mystery writer, I argued, but in the end I knew she was right. I was born and raised in the Midwest, but I’ve lived in Dallas for enough years to call myself a Texan. When I’m not writing I spend my time with family and grandchildren and anything that even resembles sports. Read the rest of the interview...
Check out the book nominations to the right! Read them and be prepared to vote for your favorite. Canyonland Press will be having their first annual Readers Choice Awards. So read up!

Setting – The Canvas of the Story
By Amy Durham

Obviously, I read. A lot. And since you’re here, you probably do too!

My family and I just returned from a two-week vacation out west. We drove from our home in Kentucky to San Diego, California, and took time to enjoy several really amazing places in between, such as the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas (If you don’t know what it is, Google it! It’s SO cool!), the Grand Canyon, and several other Route 66 attractions. In San Diego, we saw the Pacific Ocean in all it’s glory… the flat, sandy beaches of Coronado, the rocky cliffs of La Jolla, and the simple beauty of the Silver Strand. During the trip, we saw farmland, desert, mountains, coastal areas, cities, small towns, Native American reservations, and many different walks of life.

As a reader and a writer, it made me really think about the importance of the setting in a story. I love such a variety of settings in the stories I read, but what makes the story come alive is when the setting becomes such a part of the story that it’s a character itself.  Perhaps is a story set in New Orleans, and the descriptions of the food and the quirky phrases used by the characters make the setting such a strong presence. Or maybe it’s a book set on the coast, and the sounds of the ocean waves and the smell of the salty air transport me to another place for a while. Or maybe the green fields and craggy cliffs of Scotland give me a glimpse of what life is like there.

Whatever the setting of a book, it has the power not only to drive the story, but also to offer readers an escape. It imbues the story with its personality, creates an atmosphere in which the characters can interact, react, grow, and overcome. It becomes the canvas on which the rest of the action comes to life in brilliant color. It creates for the reader a space to “crawl into” in which to experience the story along with the characters.

My trip across the country, where I experienced such different landscapes and ways of life than I’m used to in my every day life, gave me the opportunity to think about the books whose settings have truly captured me and the authors who’ve so skillfully integrated the settings into their stories. It made me appreciate the fact that although I haven’t traveled extensively, reading books in various settings can take me to exotic and amazing places. And it made me even more aware of the way the setting of a story can truly become another character.

If you have a favorite type of setting, or even a particular book that used setting in a beautiful way, we’d love to hear about it!