After Reading: THE LIBRARY OF THE UNWRITTEN by AJ Hackwith

By: Meradeth Houston on 3:30 AM

In the first book in a brilliant new fantasy series, books that aren't finished by their authors reside in the Library of the Unwritten in Hell, and it is up to the Librarian to track down any restless characters who emerge from those unfinished stories.

Many years ago, Claire was named Head Librarian of the Unwritten Wing—a neutral space in Hell where all the stories unfinished by their authors reside. Her job consists mainly of repairing and organizing books, but also of keeping an eye on restless stories that risk materializing as characters and escaping the library. When a Hero escapes from his book and goes in search of his author, Claire must track and capture him with the help of former muse and current assistant Brevity and nervous demon courier Leto.

But what should have been a simple retrieval goes horrifyingly wrong when the terrifyingly angelic Ramiel attacks them, convinced that they hold the Devil's Bible. The text of the Devil's Bible is a powerful weapon in the power struggle between Heaven and Hell, so it falls to the librarians to find a book with the power to reshape the boundaries between Heaven, Hell ... and Earth. (Goodreads)

Oh, this was SUCH a fun read! As an author, and a reader, the idea of books becoming "real" is always enticing. Who hasn't wanted to enter a favorite book and live there? Or as an author, to have their book become real? For me, while immersed in the written word, those moments when they become the world around me--when I disappear within them--are bliss. And this novel explores that and how characters can become real. (This reminds me a bit of the Velveteen Rabbit--something that's referenced in the book as well, but it definitely rung true.) It's such an interesting idea too: a library of unwritten books. And yes, it totally made me think of those books that live on my harddrive and are never going to be finished. Sorry to those characters stuck in generally not-so-pleasant place! There are so many lines within the book, too, that just made me have to close my eyes and savor them. The story itself is fun and fast paced and intriguing. The characters are positively wonderful, too, and I deeply loved Claire and them all. I can't wait for the next one!

Read More

New Covers for the Sary Books!

By: Meradeth Houston on 4:00 AM

It's been a little over a month since I last posted, but it feels like years. I do hope you are all staying home and staying healthy in these strange times. It's definitely a little scary out! Things here in Montana are going okay, although I'm honestly sick to death of zoom. I've been averaging about 4-5 hours a day on it for meetings and class and I'm so done with talking to my computer. At least we've had a little nicer weather to allow us to hit the local trails (when they're not too busy--Missoula is an outdoor community so we've had to turn around a few times when it's clear we won't be able to maintain distance). Still, I'm very much looking forward to this all being over, although I imagine that won't be really until we have a vaccine in a good long while.

Anyhow, on a writing note, I've really struggled to get words on the page lately. Like, I spend so much time on my computer, I do not want to sit and look at the screen any longer. Plus, just being generally worried about people and things has made it hard to focus. But, I've been productive in other ways! I recently had my rights for my backlist Sary books returned to me, so I've had a little fun putting together new covers and getting those back online. Check em out!

“They are everywhere, can be anyone, and are always the last person you’d expect.”

When Tom stumbles across his grandfather’s journal, he’s convinced the old man was crazier than he thought. The book contains references to beings called the Sary, immortals who are assigned to save humans on the verge of suicide. They certainly aren’t allowed to fall in love with mortals. The journal claims Tom’s grandfather did just that, resulting in his expulsion from the Sary. As strange as the journal seems, Tom can’t get the stories out of his head; especially when he finds the photo of his grandfather’s wings.

Tom’s only distraction is Ari, the girl he studies with for their chemistry class. Ari has one goal when she arrives in town: see how much Tom knows about the Sary and neutralize the situation. This isn’t a normal job, but protecting the secrecy of the Sary is vital. If Tom is a threat to exposing the Sary to the public, fate has a way of taking care of the situation, usually ending with the mortal’s death. While Ari spends time with Tom, he becomes more than just an assignment, but how far can a relationship go when she can’t tell him who she really is? When she finds out just how much Tom actually knows about the Sary, Ari is forced to choose between her wings, and her heart.

THE CHEMISTRY OF FATE on Amazon

***

Julia has a secret: she killed the man she loved. It was an accident—sort of.

Julia is a Sary, the soul of a child who died before taking her first breath. Without this 'breath of life' she and others like her must help those on the verge of suicide. It's a job Julia used to enjoy, until the accident that claimed her partner's life—an accident she knows was her fault. If living with the guilt weren't enough, she's now assigned to help a girl dealing with the loss of her mother, something Julia's not exactly the best role model for. If she can't figure out a way to help her, Julia's going to lose her position in the Sary, something she swore to her partner would never happen.

COLORS LIKE MEMORIES on Amazon

***

Gabby lives by two unbreakable rules: don’t expose her kind, the Sary, and don’t fall in love—too bad some rules are made to be broken.

When Gabby’s most difficult charge accidently shoots her in front of a class full of students, the event exposes her carefully hidden identity. She shifts from looking like a normal teen to her secret Sary form, revealing her wings and the existence of her kind—immortals who try to keep people from committing suicide. Her incident attracts the attention of the next leader of the Sary, Jassen, who offers her an impossible bargain: she can keep her wings if she makes amends with those who know the truth. Things get more complicated when a rebel Sary, intent on exposing them to the world, starts interfering with Gabby’s work. And there’s no denying her attraction to Jassen, who is torn between his duties and his heart. With threats at every turn and her immortality on the line, Gabby has to find a way to save the Sary or surrender the sky forever.

SURRENDER THE SKY on Amazon

Read More