Thoughts in Progress: String Bridge

Showing posts with label String Bridge. Show all posts

Friday, November 11, 2011

String Bridge Chart Rush and Review

Today is THE day to help Jessica Bell's debut, STRING

BRIDGE, hit the bestseller list on Amazon, and receive the all-original soundtrack, Melody Hill: On the Other Side, written and performed by the author herself, for free!

I’m joining fellow bloggers to help Jessica in her endeavor. In addition, I’m sharing my thoughts on this intriguing story.

To receive the free soundtrack, all you have to do is purchase the book today (paperback, or eBook), November 11th, and then email the receipt to: jessica.carmen.bell(at)gmail(dot)com. She will then email you a link to download the album at no extra cost!

To purchase the paperback:

Amazon USA

To purchase the eBook:

Amazon USA

Amazon UK

To listen to samples of the soundtrack, visit iTunes.

Here’s my take on the story.

STRING BRIDGE by Jessica Bell

This is an emotional story of a woman’s journey to find herself and what truly makes her happy.

The story will take you on a roller coaster ride of emotions as the protagonist, Melody, struggles with finding her center. She had been a musician, but gave it up to be a wife and mother. In time she realized she had not only given up her dream, but also a part of herself. She deals with

depression and fights to be different than her bipolar mother.

In the end through a series of tragedies, there is triumph and happiness.

Author Jessica Bell has created characters that are realistic with flaws, problems, attitudes and strength to endure. Her writing is smooth and conversational making readers feel a part of the action. The story is intense with language that some may consider brazen, but given the circumstances fits naturally.

STRING BRIDGE will hold you captive from the opening paragraph to the last sentence.

Author Jessica Bell’s website is www.jessicabell.com

String Bridge by Jessica Bell, Lucky Press, @2011, Kindle Edition, ASIN: B005Y48DF6, 1606 KB, @2011, ISBN: 9780984631742, Paperback, 288 pages

FTC Full Disclosure - An eBook was sent to me by the author in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

If you are not familiar with String Bridge, check out the book trailer:

Rave Reviews for String Bridge:

“Jessica Bell’s STRING BRIDGE strummed the fret of my veins, thrummed my blood into a mad rush, played me taut until the final page, yet with echoes still reverberating. A rhythmic debut with metrical tones of heavied dark, fleeting prisms of light, and finally, a burst of joy—just as with any good song, my hopeful heartbeat kept tempo with Bell’s narrative.” ~ Kathryn Magendie, author of Sweetie and Publishing Editor of Rose & Thorn Journal

“Poet and musician Jessica Bell's debut novel String Bridge is a rich exploration of desire, guilt, and the difficult balancing act of the modern woman. The writing is lyrical throughout, seamlessly integrating setting, character and plot in a musical structure that allows the reader to identify with Melody's growing insecurity as her world begins to unravel … String Bridge is a powerful debut from a promising writer, full of music, metaphor, and just a hint of magic.” ~ Magdalena Ball, author of Repulsion Thrust and Sleep Before Evening

“Jessica Bell is a brilliant writer of great skill and depth. She doesn't pull back from the difficult scenes, from conflict, pain, intensity. She puts it all out there, no holds barred, no holding back. She knows how to craft a scene, how to develop character, how to create suspense. This is an absolutely brilliant debut novel. I look forward to reading her next novel, and next and next.” ~ Karen Jones Gowen, author of Farm Girl, Uncut Diamonds and House of Diamonds

Connect with Jessica:
String Bridge: http://www.stringbridge.com/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/jessica_bell
Website: http://www.jessicacbell.com/
Blog: http://thealliterativeallomorph.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/author.jessica.bell
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MsBessieBell
Publisher: http://www.luckypress.com

Come join the fun and help Jessica hit the bestseller list on Amazon today. Please TWEET and/or FACEBOOK this post using #StringBridge!

Monday, November 7, 2011

Author Jessica Bell Stops By On Her Virtual Book Tour

It’s my pleasure to welcome the multi-talented author Jessica Bell as the

special guest blogger here today as she makes a stop on her whirlwind virtual blog tour.

Jessica’s fiction debut, STRING BRIDGE, was released Nov. 1. There is also a soundtrack, Melody Hill: On the Other Side, which accompanies the novel.

Jessica has graciously consented to answers some questions for me about her self and her writing.

Mason - If you could have only 5 books in your library, what would they be and why?

Jessica - Housekeeping, by Marilynne Robinson, for her mouth-watering prose. Her writing is a true example of how to make words sing. This is the book that made me want to be an author.

The Robber Bride, by Margaret Atwood. For the gripping story line and concise yet elaborate descriptions, all while maintaining its literary value.

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, by Rebecca Miller. This is women’s fiction without all the frills. Love it. I wish she had more than two books out!

Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott. This book helped me get a little more perspective on myself as a writer. I’ll dip into this book again and again.

Any collection of Gwen Harwood’s poetry. She’s an Australian poet, whose poem, ‘The Sea Anemones,’ sparked my initial interest in writing poetry at about fifteen.

Mason - If you could collaborate with any author (living or dead), who would it be and what genre would you write?

Jessica - Definitely Marilynne Robinson, and I’d stick with literary fiction. It’s my true love.

Mason - When your characters come to life, in what order are they created - name, physical description or traits? Is it the same for each character?

Jessica - My characters develop as I write them. They start off just being voices, and then I gradually give them bodies. It’s not always the same. It depends whether I’m in a plotting or spontaneous mood. I’m usually spontaneous, though.

Mason - Which do you find the hardest to create - name, physical description or traits of your characters?

Jessica - Neither. These things develop as I write. My work is very character-driven, so I think my characters traits automatically generate without me having much say. I’ve never noticed myself paying much attention to them, actually. They must develop sub-consciously.

Mason - What is the worst advice you have been given about writing?

Jessica - That I had the perfect voice for commercial women’s fiction. I listened, and spent four years trying to write like someone else, and I was miserable. Everything I wrote sounded so flat and lifeless. But I suppose it was a great learning experience. In the end I discovered who I really was.

Mason - Given today’s economy and the book market, do you think print books will one day fade away and be completely replaced by eBooks?

Jessica - Definitely not. As long as we, who love print books, instill the same love in our children, I think they will always be around. Can you imagine a world without print books? The local library would probably become an electronic slot in a wall, like an ATM. Ha! Horrible …

Mason - What advantages and disadvantages do you see with eBooks over print books?

Jessica - I have a Kindle and use it quite a lot, especially for reading fellow writers’ manuscripts, but I’m still pro print. All practical matters aside, I love the smell and feel of a print book, and the sound of pages turning. There’s something very romantic about it, don’t you think?

eBooks, in my opinion, have many great qualities, one in particular being so very convenient for traveling. But even then, they can pose a problem. For example, what if you forget to bring the charger? With a print book, all you need to rely on are your eyes and the book’s existence. No external power necessary.

Mason - Have you considered making STRING BRIDGE an audio book? If so, who would you like to narrate it?

Jessica - No, I haven’t considered it. I’d actually like to do it myself as I do voiceovers professionally. If I didn’t do it myself, I’d love Nicole Kidman to do it. J

Jessica, thanks so much for guest blogging. I’d hate to see our libraries turned into ATM-style facilities. That would be horrible. I could see fellow Australian Nicole Kidman doing the voiceover if you couldn’t.

Now let me share a bit of background on Jessica and some links where you can find out more about STRING BRIDGE. She is a literary women's fiction author, poet and singer/songwriter who grew up in Melbourne, Australia, to two gothic rock musicians who had successful independent careers during the '80s and early '90s.

She spent much of her childhood traveling to and from Australia to Europe, experiencing two entirely different worlds, yet feeling equally at home in both environments. She currently lives in Athens, Greece and works as a freelance writer/editor for English Language Teaching publishers worldwide, such as HarperCollins, Pearson Education and Macmillan Education.

In addition to STRING BRIDGE, Jessica has published a book of poetry called TWISTED VELVET CHAINS. A full list of poems and short stories published in various anthologies and literary magazines can be found under Published Works & Awards, on her website.

Jessica will be hosting the Homeric Writers' Retreat & Workshop on the Greek island of Ithaca, home of Odysseus, in September 2012.