The Daughter of the Sea and the Sky
Page 30
Hidden in protective foster care for twelve years, she loses all contact with her mother and remains mute by choice.
When Hannah leaves foster care at age eighteen to search for Momma, a national debate rages over her silence.
A religious movement awaits her prophecy and celebrates her return. An anarchist group, Voices for the Voiceless, cites Hannah as its inspiration. The nation comes unhinged, and the conflict spills into the streets when presidential candidates chime in with their opinions on Hannah—patriotic visionary or dangerous radical. A remnant still believes she is evil and seeks to dispatch her from this world.
Hannah stands at the intersection of anarchists and fundamentalists, between power politics and an FBI investigation. All she wants is to find her momma, a little peace and quiet, and maybe some pancakes.
One word would put an end to the chaos... if only Hannah can find her voice.
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Praise for Hannah’s Voice:
“Grindstaff’s prose is unadorned, deft, carefully constructed—but I think what sets this novel apart is its humor. Grindstaff has a knack for portraying the drama of Hannah’s dilemma in a way that makes you giggle.” – P.B. “Pete” Morin
“Grindstaff’s writing is pure, and free of the hyperbole and love for one’s own words that often get in the way of a good story. His deft handling of the character and personality of Hannah at two distinct stages in her life showcases his mastery of language and characterization. He carefully chose each word to show the ten year difference in Hannah’s life while staying true to who she really is. That is no small feat.” – Lanette Kauten
“This book is so well written and Hannah is so compelling, her voice lingers in my mind long after I have finished reading. If Hannah’s Voice doesn’t end up on the bestseller’s list, on every notable list... I will be shocked.” – Michelle L. Johnson
“There are books that are interesting, and then there are books that you just can’t put down. This is one of those books. Something in Mr. Grindstaff’s writing style is reminiscent of Flannery O’Connor. He captures the quirks of Southern characters while maintaining their humanity. It would have been easy to write so many of these as stereotypical comical buffoons, but he avoided the easy way out.” – The Self-Taught Cook
“Hannah’s Voice is a beautiful story, and I’m going to tell you about it, but before I do: seriously, you guys, read it. I’m not kidding. You’ll be changed forever, inside... it’s not a book with such strong thematic material that it will make anyone cringe, but it will be burned into your brain for eternity in such a delightful way. Touching, moving, funny, awesome. I can’t say it enough: this book is revolutionary, and the best thing I’ve read in years. Awesome. AWESOME.” – Naomi Sarah
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Description of Carry Me Away:
Carrie Destin, a biracial military brat, learns the injuries she sustained in a car accident will prove fatal before she reaches adulthood. She accelerates her life and sets aggressive goals: college, connecting with her Japanese roots, and the all-consuming desire to find her soul mate. A kid from nowhere, she travels the world with her Marine father and Japanese mother.
Facing an abbreviated life with a brash attitude and a biting, sometimes morbid sense of humor, Carrie races to graduate high school at age fifteen. College is her marker of adulthood, when she can smoke in public and order dessert before dinner. She tosses out her adolescent wedding scrapbook for a funeral plan. A teenage crush on Paul, a family friend and a widower seventeen years her senior, develops into a fantasy that takes on a life of its own.
As she outlives the original prognosis into her early twenties, her life goals evolve—always short-term. The longing for love stays constant, yet she walls herself off from others. Relationships end in betrayal, abandonment and violence. When love reveals itself, she pulls away, fearing that an early meeting with Death is on the horizon.
Carrie’s frantic desire to experience life before it ends spirals out of control, leading to a physical and emotional collapse. Her grandmother’s wisdom points her toward acceptance, but first she must break through her walls before she can give the gift of ‘til-death-do-us-part.
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Praise for Carry Me Away:
“After the wonderful Hannah’s Voice, my expectations were pretty high. I was not disappointed. Robb Grindstaff’s second book, much like his first, is a grand achievement of literary talent and it should easily cement him on many people's ‘can't wait to see what he releases next’ lists.” – Allison M. Dickson
“Grindstaff has produced another masterpiece on par with Hannah’s Voice! Carrie’s life is all about racing forward, while she herself stands internally still, convinced she’ll die before she has a chance to live. She tries to experience every aspect of life, but refuses to let the experiences in on a deeper level, and it’s heart-wrenching, vivid, and realistic. I feared with Carrie, I cried for her, and I begged her to quit TRYING so hard to live, and just LIVE. Like Hannah’s Voice, Grindstaff’s characters are beyond real. Carrie has a special place in my heart. You’ll never meet another character like Carrie, who packs the most life possible into every page of every chapter.” – Nola Sarina
“I used this book to escape from the business of my everyday life, to allow me to reconsider all the things going on around me, and help me focus and see things in a new light. Most books don’t do that. This one did.” – Naomi Leadbetter
For lovers of young adult fantasy thrillers with a Native American twist, this series is suitable for readers 13 and up:
CHOSEN
Book 1: Wind Catcher
Book 2: Brink of Dawn
Book 3: Scorched Souls
By Jeff Altabef and Erynn Altabef
The multiple award-winning Chosen series of young adult fantasy thrillers features a slice of American Indian culture, blended into fantasy/sci-fi/thriller stories. For more information on this series, please visit the Evolved Publishing website.
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WIND CATC HER:
Juliet Wildfire Stone stands between two worlds. Her eccentric grandfather tells her stories about the Great Wind Spirit and Coyote, but he might as well be speaking another language. She’s started to hear voices and see visions, but even they don’t make any sense. All she wants to be is an average sixteen-year-old girl, but she has never been average—could never be average.
She is the Chosen and the Seeker Slayer, and our only hope.
Recently transferred to an exclusive school, Juliet is forced to choose between her new wealthy life and her Native American heritage. Unsure where she fits in, she stumbles upon a series of murders. Worried that her grandfather is involved, she discovers an ancient secret society, the Order of the Twisted Arrows—a society formed over two hundred years ago to keep her safe.
When the mysterious Seeker learns of Juliet’s existence, he threatens everyone she loves in the world, willing to kill to have her.
Betrayed by the young man she loves, she must decide whether to run or to fulfill her destiny as the Chosen.
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Praise for Wind Catcher:
“Many young adult books revolve around young adult decision-making processes, but the joy and excitement fueling Wind Catcher is that Juliet's search for truth doesn't end with its emergence, but with the bigger picture of what she'll choose to do with it. That's the heartbeat of a powerful saga that fully immerses readers in all the possible scenarios that can stem from one's choices in life—and the reason why Wind Catcher stands out from the crowd.”— D. Donovan
“Wind Catcher is one of the best thrillers for YA that I have read in some time. ... If I hadn’t had to eat and sleep, I would have read it right through without stopping. It is just that good!”— S. Price “Suze”
“What an amazingly unique story!! I can honestly say I have never read anything like it! I loved the strong Native American themes running through it as well as the deep plunge into the rich culture
then and now. This story seemed to quench my thirst for knowledge of the more supernatural aspect to the Native American history and storytelling and I loved the creativity of the authors. Even though this is, in essence, a young adult book, I was literally kept at the edge of my seat while reading. The plot has some very intense situations as well as mature threads running throughout the story. I love that our authors see our “young adult” crowd as more than older kids; they see them as very intelligent and can handle the more mature themes including murder and secret societies. And come on, who doesn’t love secret societies?”— Amy @ Read to My Heart’s Content
For lovers of literary/women’s fiction featuring a strong nod to the arts community:
CASSIA
By Lanette Kauten
This literary exploration of the art scene, perfect for fans of literary or women's fiction, has been called a lesbian "Anna Karenina" set in an art district at the end of the Cold War. For more information on these books, please visit the Evolved Publishing website.
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As a reporter living in Deep Ellum, all Tanya Falgoust wants is to be accepted as part of the underground arts district. But living among free thinkers and musicians doesn’t make her one of them. Then she meets the sensual, rebellious Cassia, a performance artist who struts onto the stage and into Tanya’s bed.
No one knows who Cassia is, but her beauty and talents as an actress and dancer captivate the local scene. Tanya is mesmerized, and they quickly form a relationship. A close friend warns Tanya about Cassia, but she brushes him off. But when Cassia refuses to divulge anything about herself, where she lives, or even her real name, Tanya starts to realize her friend was right. And the secrets her lover is hiding are deeper and more damaging than Tanya could imagine.
As the pull of their relationship deepens and becomes more volatile, Tanya must decide whether to break from her desire before she loses the one thing she wants most—connection to the musicians who have accepted her into their community.
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Praise for Cassia:
“Cassia, for me, is all about the characters. They're memorable for their strength, beliefs and undeniable eccentricities, as much as for the plot-driven struggles they face through personal relationships and ambition.” ~ AlinasVoice
“A shocking, yet unforced, plot twist drives the plot to an emotional conclusion. Cassia is both a story for our times and an engaging read.” ~ H. Monroe
“Cassia is like a painting with many textures.” ~ S. Kanton
“As a man who rarely reads this sort of novel, I was pleasantly surprised. While I wouldn't call it a romance novel, the pages are thick with romantic developments, heart breaks, passion and betrayal. The dialogue reveals a range of topics about which Mrs. Kauten obviously has considered in some detail. The themes range from human sexuality to Arminian rants on free will.” ~ Amazon Customer