Devin O'Branagan's Show Dog Sings the Blues: a review

Talisman, a pampered show dog with attitude, has a play date with her sister Maddie, who is a hardcore cowdog. Through an unfortunate mixup, the two dogs are switched and Talisman has to cowdog-up for the day.

It is an Australian Shepherd Freaky Friday!

A hilarious spinoff from the RED HOT series of comic novels, told from the dog's perspective.

A portion of the proceeds from this novella will be donated towww.AussieRescue.org

An uplifting, inspiring tale for humans of all ages!

Show Dog

A bonus post! Why? Two reasons: a) Red Hot Liberty and Show Dog go hand in hand, so I didn’t want them to get separated by too many posts, and, more importantly, b) Show Dog is a novella in a class of its own and deserved its own spot. Plus, I have a feeling that Talisman would enjoy having a special day all about her. She’s that kind of dog.

Reading Show Dog Sings the Blues conveniently coincided with this month’s flash fiction contest on Devin’s forum (I’ll take a moment to plug – go, read, vote! I’ll wait until you get back), where the prompt was to write from the point of view of an animal. I decided to contribute and realised it's not nearly as easy as I thought it'd be. To get into the head of a being we don’t really understand and make them real without taking away their innate animalness.

This is not a cheesy story. It’s not a children’s tale where the characters just happen to be animals. Tali explores the world exactly the way a dog would. The decisions she makes are based on instinct, on training, and on her understanding of her purpose as a dog. She demonstrates the importance animals have in the human world, the healing power they possess when we need it most.  I experienced her fear, her intuition, and was rooting for her from the moment she was cast out to work for the day. 

Both Red Hot Liberty and Show Dog follow the same theme of choosing what you want to fight for, but Talisman grabs hold of this theme even better than the characters in Liberty. Through her decisions and actions, she really brings to life the words of her heart person, Val DeMitri: "Courage is a choice". 

This novella is worth the read. Especially at the end of a really hard day (and let's face it, that usually sums up most Mondays - Fridays, right?), when all you want is to lose yourself in something fun, something that will make you laugh and make you feel warm. Does it need to be read with the others in the Red Hot series? Not necessarily - it holds up as a cute story in its own right - but when taken as part of the whole, there are so many more layers to it. It offers a better understanding of what makes Tali who she is. Honestly, though? I don't think Red Hot is what holds up Show Dog. I think it's the other way around. Tali always does steal the show. 

For more information, click here

Devin O'Branagan's Red Hot Liberty: a review

Molly O'Malley's new assistant, Robin Knight, is a sexy Englishman with mysterious psychic abilities and the gift of animal communication. This comes in handy when Molly's dog becomes depressed over romantic problems, and when she wants to tell her humans the details of a haunted dog show event known as The Twilight Bone Incident.

Robin's mission is to help Molly learn that it is an enchanted world where all things are possible. However, the men in Molly's life are threatened by his powerful presence and pressure her into making difficult choices.

Further complicating her life is new client, Liberty True—a tin-foil-hat-wearing, conspiracy-theory-believing, rebel patriot—who invites Molly to a different kind of tea party and drags her, kicking and screaming, into the revolution. Soon, Homeland Security is following Molly and she receives death threats.

Coming to her aid? A Goth colleague who lives on the dark side, a charismatic cowboy preacher who lives on the light side, a quirky psychic who lives between the worlds, and the departed spirit of her best friend.

A sassy tale about a woman on the verge of losing everything, who undertakes a quest to slay the dragon of fear and become her own hero.

Review

Sequels often go downhill. My suspicion (and experience) is that the author spends so much time plotting out the first one, falls in love with the characters and wants to do more with them, but doesn’t spend nearly as much time plotting out the second, so it becomes a series of random events made up for the sake of keeping characters alive.

Occasionally, an author gets it right, and the second book lives up to the first. Even more occasionally, the second surpasses the first. That is the case with Devin O’Branagan’s Red Hot Liberty. Perhaps an example of how more time with a character leads to the author knowing her better, Liberty goes deeper into Molly O’Malley’s character, giving her more dimensions as a human being. New people are introduced, old favourites come back for a visit, and once again it becomes a matter of fighting what you believe in, or playing it safe to protect the ones you love.

Liberty also brought into my life another great character to laugh with and love: the goth chick Babylon (I really seem to have a thing for O’Branagan’s goth characters…). She’s tough, dry as sandpaper, knows what she wants and is not afraid to go after it. With her extreme kick-ass ability, she and Molly bring out the edgy side of women that never fails to appeal to me.

Once in a while sliding into the more paranormal, Liberty for the most part stays grounded, focusing on real problems of relationships, politics, grief, and puppy love – literally.

Again I laughed, again I cried, but this time around it was with characters I already knew and have laughed and cried with before, which made the experience that much sweeter. Summer is just around the corner, ladies and gents, and this book should definitely be added to your "summer reads" list.

And of course one of the best parts about this book is that it gave O’Branagan the opportunity to write her novella Show Dog Sings the Blues, which I will be reviewing on Saturday, so come back!

Find more information about Red Hot Liberty here. 

Q&A with Devin O'Branagan

When I first joined Devin's forum in September, I had no idea that it would become such an integral part of my life. I sometimes wondered if I should get out and find a writing group like this in the real world, but with this group it didn't really matter. I grew to know them, to appreciate their support and their individual talent, and in process Devin became a very good friend.

Now that I've finished reading Threshold and Witch Hunt (expect a review soon), I'm very excited to share this Q&A with you. Enjoy!

Devin O'Branagan - author

1) The classic: Tell me a bit about yourself. I know a bit from your forum and your bio, but for those who don't - spill the beans!

I’ve been writing fiction since I was five years old—my first story was a ghost story. My first two published novels, also paranormal fiction, were released by Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Books in English and by Heyne in German. I have since published six more novels in a variety of genres including paranormal thrillers, paranormal chick lit, comic chick lit, canine chick lit, and young adult urban fantasy. In addition, I write a humor column for TAILS Magazine.

2) I always like to find out about a fellow writer's routine while they work - still trying to master my own. What would you say are your "needs" when you sit down to write?

All I need is my laptop computer. I have no special routine—I just sit down in my favorite easy chair and write. I have a big basket next to the chair, and it is filled with haphazard notes I’ve made on plot, characters, dialogue and research. I also have a dictionary and thesaurus at the ready. Otherwise I’m a fly-by-the seat-of my-pants kind of writer.

Moving onto THRESHOLD!

3) I've often heard you say that this book is your "favourite baby". What is it about THRESHOLD that makes it stand out from all the novels you've written?

I believe it’s my best-written novel. It is also my most inspirational. For me, writing isn’t just about telling a good story, but also about moving people’s hearts.

4) What was your inspiration behind THRESHOLD? Not only the NDE, but all of it - the shamans, the bit "art" themes, etc. 

THRESHOLD was inspired by a near-death experience of my own, which fueled my lifelong spiritual journey. That journey took me through the study of many religions and metaphysical paths, including shamanism. Other themes in the book, from art to quantum physics, are areas of personal interest to me. Everything in my life is grist for the mill of my writing.

5) She wasn't there very much, but I really loved Quinn "Queen B". She's strong, assertive, sometimes brash and rude, but still understanding, compassionate, and not blind to her own fault. I'd love to know more about her. 

Throughout my life I have met people of true power, and people with imagined power. I wanted to explore that dichotomy and did so via Branwen and her mother, Quinn. It’s interesting how many people have claimed Quinn as their favorite character in THRESHOLD. I think it’s because she is representative of a woman who is truly powerful.

6) More importantly, tell us a bit about YOUR favourite character in THRESHOLD. 

The primary protagonist, Cole, is my favorite character. He is amazing. Prior to his NDE he was not a nice child, and even though the reasons for that are explained, he never justifies his bad behavior. He owns it, tries to change, and seeks redemption. He has such courage, even if reckless at times. And he has genuine compassion. I loved working with him.

7) Other works:

My first novel, now out of print, was SPIRIT WARRIORS, a paranormal thriller about the end-times as prophesied by the Hopi Indians. While researching it, I lived in a log cabin near the Hopi reservation and studied with the spokesman for the Hopi Elders. I may update and rerelease it when time allows.

WITCH HUNT was my second novel, published by Pocket Books in English and Heyne in German. It is a paranormal thriller about three hundred years in the history of a family of witches, from the days of the Salem trials through to a modern, fundamentalist-inspired witch hunt. It went out of print as well, so I had the rights reverted to me and in 2010 released an updated version of it. It spent much of 2011 on Amazon’s Metaphysical Fiction Bestsellers List and was recently picked up by Turkish publisher, Dogan Egmont.

GLORY was released last year and is the first in my planned young adult urban fantasy series, THE LEGEND OF GLORY. In GLORY, a seventeen-year-old girl’s blood holds the cure for a deadly pandemic plague, and a witch, an angel, and a vampire are assigned to be her bodyguards. It, too, was on Amazon’s Metaphysical Fiction Bestsellers List and was also nominated for the 2011 Best Popular Paperback for Young Adults List, sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) of the American Library Association.

And then there are THE RED HOT NOVELS, a chick lit series that includes the suspenseful comedy, RED HOT PROPERTY, the paranormal chick lit sequel, RED HOT LIBERTY, and the canine chick lit spinoff, SHOW DOG SINGS THE BLUES. These books are comedic, but include a depth uncommon to traditional chick lit. I like to deal with issues in my fiction: gay rights, animal welfare, taking a stand for what is right in life no matter what the cost, rising above one’s limitations, etc. Even the delightful SHOW DOG SINGS THE BLUES—which is told from the dog’s perspective—has a message. When a pampered show dog is mistaken for a cowdog and has to work on a ranch for the day, she discovers she is much more than just another pretty face. The main characters in the RED HOT series (human and canine) grow, learn, and become more than they imagine is possible.

SHOW DOG SINGS THE BLUES hit the #1 spot on Amazon’s Hot New Releases and spent time on the bestsellers list for books about dogs. I donate a portion of the proceeds to Australian Shepherd Rescue.

8) I'm currently reading WITCH HUNT and so far I'm loving it. It seems you and I share an interest in historical intolerance. What is it about the Salem Witch Trials that sparked your imagination for this novel?

In 1989 the Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwā—a death sentence—against author Salman Rushdie for writing a novel offensive to the Islamic faith. I was horrified, and my first thought was, “That couldn’t happen in America!” My second thought was to remember the Salem trials. Because of the strong influence groups like the Moral Majority and the Christian Coalition were having in the 1980’s, I grew concerned that history might repeat itself, and so I wrote WITCH HUNT as a cautionary tale.

9) Care to tell us about any new projects in the works? You're hardly the time to stay idle for long.

I am working on the sequel to GLORY, titled PRETTY SACRIFICES. I am also working on THE TWILIGHT BONE, which is the prequel to SHOW DOG SINGS THE BLUES. The third book in the RED HOT series, RED HOT VAMPYRE, is in the planning stage.

10) I love that you're so interactive with your readers. What made you decide to create your forum? 

Following the release of my first young adult novel, GLORY, I made a lot of public appearances. Most of the teens who attended my programs had writing ambitions, and I felt the need to encourage their talent. I originally started the forum simply as a place to hold flash fiction contests for new writers. Over time it grew into the wonderful writers’ forum it is today. Our international membership now includes people of all ages and all experience levels, from beginning writers to professional authors. We also have members who are not writers, but are artists, publishing professionals, as well as people interested in animals, metaphysics, and reading. The forum allows me to interact with fans in a personal way that I find most rewarding.

11) Any parting words? The rest is up to you!

One of the things I’m most proud of is how I’ve found ways to use my writing to support animal rescue. I’ve held two major raffles to raise money for Best Friends Animal Society, the nation’s largest no-kill sanctuary for homeless, abused, and abandoned animals. The prizes I offered were to feature the winners’ pets as characters in my novels. Through sales of my books and plush toys related to the themes of my writing, I also support Australian Shepherd Rescue, Border Collie Rescue, and cat rescue groups.

If anyone would like to learn more about my books, animal rescue projects, and forum, please visit my website at www.DevinWrites.com

Devin O'Branagan's Threshold - A Review

Cole Dillon drowns in Deer Lake shortly before his thirteenth birthday. Elijah Thunderbird, a Native American shaman, travels between the worlds to bring Cole back from death. Unfortunately, Cole isn’t supposed to survive, and with the natural order disrupted, dark spirits follow them home.

During Cole’s near-death experience, he is assigned an important mission that involves saving the lives of many other children. However, when he is revived, he can’t remember the details and undertakes a challenging quest of discovery.

Meanwhile, the dark spirits begin to manifest in the lives of the local town residents, bringing hatred and death. When shamanic visions reveal that many young lives are indeed in imminent danger, Elijah has to help Cole find the courage to do what is required of him before it is too late.

As Elijah tries to help Cole, he struggles with his own personal demons, and both men—one young, one old—must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice in order to save others.

A moving paranormal thriller about courage, faith, and the transformative power of love.

Whatever you're doing right now, stop it. Making dinner? Let it burn. Sleeping? WAKE UP, sleep can wait. Instead, you must all hurry and buy this book. You will not regret it.

I fell in love with the main character of Threshold within the first two pages of this novel. A budding attorney, Cole is clever, funny, and a (at first) typical thirteen year old boy. The novel begins as Cole, his older sister Leah, and his younger sister, Rachel, hold a trial condemning the new member of their household: their stepmother. In this brief scene, I already learn so much about the characters I will grow to love.

The setting is divided between a cattle ranch, the Indian reservation, and the small town of Deer Lake in Montana, and the imagery of each is unique and beautiful, the characters rich and interesting, and the themes moving, heartbreaking, and thought-provoking.

An intense look at near-death experiences and the lessons we can learn from them, Threshold deals with  personal demons, actual demons, and everything in between. It's a commentary of prejudice, on acceptance, on coming-of-age, on the destructive nature of hate and the healing power of love.

These may be themes that have been touched on ad nauseum over the years, but O'Branagan's light touch, with her mix of humour and believable and, more importantly, relateable experiences, manages to steer Threshold away from being trite to a beautiful and touching narrative.

If I had to pick one flaw, it's only that it ended too soon. I would have been happy with a lot more.

I highly recommend this book, and after you've read it, come and meet Devin for yourself at her forum! It's a great place for writers, readers, or people just looking for a good chat.