Why should you read an Em Brooks book? Part 2
When I talk about my books I usually begin with Along the Way because that was my debut novel. Today I'm changing that up. Since it was recently on a five-day free book promotion on Kindle, many of you took advantage of it and downloaded Portrait of an Unlikely Affair. If you didn't take advantage of the free book promotion, you can still get it on Kindle, in paperback, or in hardcover at www.amazon.com/author/embrooks. It is enrolled in Kindle Unlimited through February so you can take advantage of that, or you can buy it. It is available on paperback at barnesandnoble.com.
Need more coaxing and arm twisting? OK, no problem. How about a free sample? Find it here: Sample of Portrait of an Unlikely Affair
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Well, first of all, I wrote it. Do you need any more reason?
Let me tell you a little something about this book, this series. I've gone over this before in earlier posts but let's get it all in one place and remind some of you about this book.
I've been working with Portrait of an Unlikely Affair since I was about 10 or 11 years old. I got bit by the writing bug in 4th grade thanks to a writing assignment using Chris Van Allsburg's book "The Mysteries of Harris Burdick." I started out writing about horses because what ten year old girl doesn't love horses? I was a huge fan. I created a whole world about champion racehorses. And then, as I was writing about horses, I tapped into this boy named Brian who was definitely not a horse. He was a child soldier. He seemed "a lot" older to me and was interesting, so I just kept on writing his story in between my race horse stories. Those pieces I first wrote are actually found in book 2 of the series, "The Legend of CùSithGrim." I was never going to share this novel series with anyone. It was one that I wrote for myself because the characters intrigued me. It was what I wrote because I wanted to. It became a book that I would want to read myself.
But does that answer why you should read this book yet? We'll continue, just in case you need to know more.
Let's first look at the title, Portrait of an Unlikely Affair. This is not a story about extramarital affairs. It's not that kind of affair. English is a tricky language but the word affair does have other meanings. In this instance, this is mainly about an improbable event taking place. It took me years to create a title for this story, simply because I never thought of it becoming an actual book. Thirty years ago, if you were to ask me what my primary weakness was in writing, I'd tell you it was titles (today it is writing descriptions for my novels.) I used to loathe coming up with titles but however many years ago when I realized this story needed a title, this one fell into place rather easy. Going along with how unlikely it would be for two such people coming from the backgrounds that our main characters are coming from, I'd say it just fits them. Even today, I try to come up with a different and 'rebranded' title for this book and I cannot find one. I keep getting the old quote, "What a fine mess you've gotten us into," running through my mind every time I think about it. Yeah. I've got nothing for an alternate title.
So, if you start in on the story or the sample, it drops you into something happening. You are at a packed hotel ballroom where there are plenty of reporters. It is May 1996. (Who here remembers 1996?) So, we meet Seth Jacobson, who must be a reporter or photographer of sorts. He is moving around a hotel ballroom that is jam-packed, trying to find the perfect spot. Everyone around him is gossiping before it all falls silent and a group of people come in and we get our first look at Avonlea Stone. Apparently something has happened, and as they speak to the reporters we discovered two incidents involving violent crimes are connected which resulted in the death of the young boyfriend. She becomes so distraught that she makes an emotional, an ungraceful exit from the press conference.
I should note that as with any story that takes a writer several decades to write, these scenes were randomly written in different periods of time. All of this series was written at different times and ages in my life. Nothing in this story was written in order with me saying "I want it to go like this..." with an outline. (Here I'm reminded of the Groucho Marx quote, "and the Gods look down and laugh." Pfffff. Outlines are for organized people who haven't met my characters yet.) But it all stitched together quite well. I honestly didn't know where this story was headed the majority of the time. In fact, there was a point where I thought book 1 and book 2 were just one book.
Coming up with Avonlea's first name basically followed in line with everything else in this story. Her surname was always Stone. I had been calling her by a different first name, which was Stephanie, for a while, but it felt off. It wasn't her name. It wasn't right. I'd try other names but they didn't stick. Yet, I couldn't come up with any other name for her until one day I was driving home from work, stuck in a long line of traffic, when her name came to me. Her name was Avonlea (pronounced Av-on-lee). Don't know why that name chose to come to me as I'd never really read any of L.M. Montgomery's books, but apparently her parents must've been a fan? It does make a pretty first name. So I went with it. It is unique, distinct, and pretty. (On a quick check on the baby name sites, Avonlea was at #2047 in popularity for baby names at its height in 2017 but I had my epiphany much much earlier than that. So, yes, there are several little girls running around out there with that name.)
Now, in Chapter 1, we are taken back to the fall of 1995 and we meet a psychologist who is trying to break through to Brian Ridley. Brian obviously isn't your average guy. As we learn more about Brian, we start getting an image of what he is, of who he is. He is young, too young for where he is in life, and his background gives you questions. Then the mystery deepens.
When 'creating' Brian, Brian was always Brian. He was never anyone else. As I mentioned in my Fun Fact Friday introduction to Portrait several weeks ago, I was introduced to Brian as a story and character I could not shake. This mission of his that has eluded his memory is where I had first met him (You'll have to read book 2, The Legend of CùSithGrim, for that). His history is unthinkable to us. It's loathsome. How could something like that happen to a child? Putting yourself in Brian's position, with all that he had gone through, you get an idea of why he is so low-key and doesn't smile. He is very much an introvert, doesn't care for people, and prefers his own company. He works hard, he is serious, and he doesn't show emotions. Not many people would want to befriend him, know him, or be comfortable around someone like him. He isn't a social butterfly. And he definitely doesn't care for the cardigan-clad doctor. Brian has dark hair and gray eyes, which is a unique eye color, except when you're doing genealogy and see just how many male ancestors in your line have gray eyes in amongst their passport paperwork or military documentation. They are often mistaken as blue eyes, but have a brownish/hazel flecks to them. Do yourself a favor and do an image search on gray eyes if you can't envision what they look like. As I said before, Brian has always been Brian. He has always had dark hair with a slightly auburn tint and those unique gray eyes.
Now, back to the sample and chapter one.
The therapy session is being watched by three people, each who have known Brian in a different way. As we meet each of these people, it's a curious mix - his father, a senator, and a doctor. In their thoughts and conversation we learn even more about Brian and what they think about him. In my whole "what-if" style of writing, it is a unique mix of people which is why I threw a senator in there. Yeah, I know, a lot of us these days have low opinions of politicians, but try not to hold that against Sam Stafford. We also learn a little bit about Tom's past and family.
Which brings us to Chapter 2 and we meet Avonlea again. She is on a plane, going home with her boyfriend, Connor, who is actually being a jerk. She is having second thoughts. As we get to know Avonlea, and her relationship with Connor Jones, we also find out about his family, where they are headed, and probably why he is being as he is. At this point it is something Avonlea is willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
The scene switches to another inbound plane and we find Brian and his father, Tom. As we get a look at their individual thoughts, we see how complex their father/son relationship is and that family life is a bit challenging. We learn that Tom has a lot of ghosts in his life. The home life he is bringing his son into doesn't sound like it will be pleasant to say the least, but sometimes families are like that. I honestly have no idea why Tom and Brian have to have such a fractured relationship, that's just how they came.
I wish I could say I had some deep underlying message to send, and diagnose it like an English Lit teacher, but nope. It is what it is. I don't intertwine messages and lessons in my writing. They just flow. (I recall back in high school, I loathed having to write essays on the "author's meanings" in their writing of books. One that is foremost on my mind is my junior year English class, we had to read John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath. I hated that book. Don't care for Steinbeck. But anyhow, I was an honors student who had dropped back to CP English because I was getting out of HS early when the teacher asked us to write an essay on "the purpose of Granpa's death" and what Steinbeck was trying to get across when he wrote it. I was annoyed by that and wrote a sarcastic essay, that answered the question with it signifies change, only I just said it in a very sarcastic manner. Still got an A so I'm not even sure if the teacher read it. So, when I cut on English Lit teachers and their 'need' to analyze what the author was thinking or the message they were sending, blame it on high school English classes. I didn't care for The Outsiders either, if you want a list of books I despise because I know you do. Just kidding. Now, back to my own novel....)
We switch back to Avonlea and her boyfriend as they are now in the airport, looking for their ride from Connor's step-father, which we now know is Tom. How is this going to go? At this point, you may be wondering why Avonlea is with Connor, just as she is. As Connor goes off to find a battery, you can tell by her reaction and her attempt at self-reliance that she isn't a fragile actress who is helpless and does have some pride within her that makes her not want to be what is expected of her to be. Although Avonlea is left to move a lot of bags, she is "rescued" by Tom and Brian. What catches her attention with Brian is that he seemingly just materialized from nowhere as she hadn't noticed him with Tom. As she is trying to figure Brian out, he doesn't let her see much of him and quite frankly, he doesn't even acknowledge her. Connor returns and his reaction to his step-brother is rather unfavorable. In fact, it is no where in the realm of polite and if Connor wants an reaction from Brian, he doesn't get one. Yet Avonlea is still intrigued by Brian, whether it's because he doesn't acknowledge her or because Connor hadn't mentioned him before, but she senses a mystery, although she realizes she is most likely making a big mistake. At this point, the sample is close to the end and they leave the airport.
It is not the most romantic of all meetings of all time. There isn't even any emotions on his part but there are over 330 more pages to this book, plenty of time to see what happens. Of course, then we have to wonder about the beginning of the book, of Avonlea broken up over her boyfriend being killed in an accident. And why did I introduce you to a reporter/photographer at the very beginning? How does all this tie together?
So, this is just the beginning of a five book series that takes you for one heck of a ride.
Now, the comments I've received in regards to the book. I hear that you can't put it down. I won't say it's train wreck that you can't look away from, but readers find that they "have to know" what happens next and so they turn the pages and stay up late. Readers always say they can't wait to launch into the next book. Readers also enjoy that it's got romance and mystery to it. They appreciate that it isn't a typical "contemporary romance" in the way that there are paragraphs of scenes unnecessary to the story that you have to skim over and skip. Your imagination is probably better than mine. And that hold true for the whole series.
What can I expect for the series? You can expect a developing of the story you are introduced with. The characters become real. Readers have an attachment to the characters. You learn more about Brian as the story continues. You also find out who Avonlea is by what she does, not just what she says. You meet more characters. There is action. There is a bit of drama. There are surprises. There are aspects that you never see coming. You do get hooked and you want to finish the series just to find out.
Why should I read this book? It will be unlike anything you've read before. Amazon allows authors to give suggestions and recommendations and one of the options is say which book or author you are like. It puzzles me. I have not read another author who is "like" me, with my writing style, or even content. I cannot say, "read this book if you like....Whomever." Because I can't exactly say who. I write books I would enjoy reading myself. I can't compare myself to the likes of big named authors who have been around forever because I am a self-published author at this point. But I will say read this book if you like to watch TV shows that have a well developed plot with well loved characters that involve the military, secret military, a little love story, good guys vs. bad guys, and family ties. Read it if you like underdogs, impossible odds, and a fresh perception. Read this book if you want to read a series and if you want to have an adventure like you've not had before. Read this book because I wrote it for me and was never going to let the rest of you read it.
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