I've been blogging for a couple of years now with a very special woman named C. JoyBell C. Or as I like to call her, Bells. I came to know Bells through her beautiful and inspiring writings and poetry she shares on her blog, Writings...by C. JoyBell C.
Poetry is such a personal thing to the writer and yet Bells poems never fail to illicit some meaningful response from me. I always find something on an emotional level to connect with, sometimes things I didn't even know were there. She has an astounding way of putting things in a new light and turning the ordinary into extraordinary.
I think that must be the true mark of a great poet, the ability to make the reader FEEL. Bells does that in abundance, each and every time.
She recently published her first book of poetry, 'The Sun Is Snowing' and then took on the task of writing her first Novella. My curiosity was immediately piqued. What kind of story would Bells tell? Would I hear the same voice in her Novella I know from her poems?
I ordered the book online and within days, 'Saint Paul Trois Chateaux: 1948' was at my door. I must admit I was a bit intimidated by the name to begin with. After all I am a complete French illiterate. I needn't have worried.
The story Bells weaves is about a few distinct characters. How one night can alter a persons life forever. How another night many years later can do the exact same thing, depending on words spoken and words left unspoken.
When I opened 'Saint Paul Trois Chateaux: 1948', I was immediately transported to an intimate setting where you can feel the tension in the air. I felt like an interloper listening in on a private conversation. A conversation with so much left unsaid, two people trying to keep things lighthearted all the while struggling with themselves to speak the words they REALLY want to say. How many of us have been there?
Bells hints at secrets long buried, letting you follow them into the night to see who keeps their secrets hidden, who tells half truths and who is brave enough to bare it all. She makes you want to fly to the end and see how it all turns out. I love it when a book holds that kind of suspense and you have to force yourself to slow down and let the story unfold itself!
'Saint Paul Trois Chateaux: 1948' did not disappoint, but then I knew it wouldn't. It is a true testament to the beauty and raw emotion that Bells shares with us so freely. While her book differs from her poetry, I could easily find Bells in her Novella, the passion, the boldness and that gift she has for drawing the reader in and making them connect and draw comparisons to their own lives. It is a glorious gift. Thank you for sharing your talent and your magic with us Bells. It has been a blessing to get to know you through your words.
Congratulations on your magnificent accomplishment!
~Sares
Please support a fellow blogger, and get a book that is a fabulous treat to boot!
You won't want to put it down!
Please support a fellow blogger, and get a book that is a fabulous treat to boot!
You won't want to put it down!
To order your copy of 'Saint Paul Trois Chateaux' go here.
