One author, two stories.
Today we welcome Karen R. Hardin author of "Loyalty" and "Heart Strings and Love Nots"
Check her work and follow her tour.
You'll find interviews, guest posts and reviews.
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Quick Facts
Loyalty:Release Date: November 22, 2011
Genre: Fantasy - Mafia
Rating: ★★★★
My Review
This novel is very Romeo & Juliet with a twist, or six. It was very interesting to read about something that is so far removed from the reality that I live, while still remaining completely removed from the realm of fantasy or the paranormal. Each and every event that Hardin writes about could, and probably have, happened in the real world. By taking the mafia into the realm of popular fiction in such a direct and captivating way she opens the door to thought and conversation.
The characters in this novel were quite well developed. Hardin takes the time to develop each and every aspect of her characters to develop warring factions and individuals caught in the middle. The characters become individuals that you can relate to, who possess real feelings and evoke the same in the reader. The story itself is based heavily on the development of these characters, thus propelling it further and further into the realm of reality and possibility.
As a whole this was a very unique outlook on modern life for a select section of society. Their intermingling and differences create a brilliant backdrop for this very intriguing and solid story that Hardin presents to her readers, opening the doors for discussion and further insight.
This novel is very Romeo & Juliet with a twist, or six. It was very interesting to read about something that is so far removed from the reality that I live, while still remaining completely removed from the realm of fantasy or the paranormal. Each and every event that Hardin writes about could, and probably have, happened in the real world. By taking the mafia into the realm of popular fiction in such a direct and captivating way she opens the door to thought and conversation.
The characters in this novel were quite well developed. Hardin takes the time to develop each and every aspect of her characters to develop warring factions and individuals caught in the middle. The characters become individuals that you can relate to, who possess real feelings and evoke the same in the reader. The story itself is based heavily on the development of these characters, thus propelling it further and further into the realm of reality and possibility.
As a whole this was a very unique outlook on modern life for a select section of society. Their intermingling and differences create a brilliant backdrop for this very intriguing and solid story that Hardin presents to her readers, opening the doors for discussion and further insight.
Quick Facts
Heart Strings and Love Nots:Genre: Romantic Comedy.
Rating: ★★★
Three diaries in one novel, “Heart Strings and Love Nots” is a comical drama of the heart-breaking yet life affirming love stories of three women. With different personalities the unlikely trio of best-friends are the perfect voices of reason for one another as the bossy bitch, Dominique, judgmental diva, Skylar and freaky church mouse, Reese, take readers on a journey of illicit affairs, strange religion, accidental prostitution all the way to marriage and motherhood.
My Review
By writing the way that you think Hardin creates the aura of reality in her novel. She immerses her readers directly into the lives of three women who are making their way through life. This novel is so solidly written that she doesn’t need to draw fantasy into her novel to captivate the audience. Her storyline and natural writing style do this all on their own.
Hardin develops such a diverse cast of characters that you can’t help but question how they became such good friends yet you still understand why they are. They work together to create a unique story that pulls at your heartstrings and makes you thankful for life and true friends. They characters are also quite well developed. You get to know the main characters well enough that you feel like you’ve known them all of your life. The supporting cast is also quite well developed, but they never overshadow our three heroines (because, with the way that they overcome the trials in life, they are just that, heroines).
Each character in this novel has a distinct speech pattern that would stereotypically be associated with their walk in life. It really helps keep the characters strait since they also think in the same patterns. It helps to clarify who’s perspective we’re seeing, since the author regularly switches perspective. Since it is done so well, with the minute changes in writing style, speech patterns, and headers it adds to the story, rather than detracting from it. It also gives a much deeper and more well-rounded perspective into the lives of the characters.
I wanted to give this novel a higher rating but there were more than a few times where the author used the wrong word in a sentence (ie// pedal vs petal or slim vs slime). It happened often enough that it began to detract from the story for me. The storyline itself was very interesting and solid but it couldn’t quite overcome this for me.
Get it HERE.
The Author
Karen R. Hardin has been hailed as a creative genius. With an imagination that developed from the sheer need to escape childhood abuse, her cultivation of higher consciousness at a young age brought forth unparalleled and unmatched artistry. She's turned out multiple scripts for indie film producers. One such script was written in a 24 hour period and helped to initiate the start of Derrty Entertainment's spinoff company UCME Films. Karen began her writing career with a dream that brought forth her first novel “Loyalty”, an epic mafia story. In 2012 Karen released a second novel “Heart Strings and Love Nots” with an eclectic take on novel writing, she created a southern sex in the city that blends three character diaries with perspectives based on some of the strongest stereotypical perspectives associated with women.
Guest Post
My first hit of writing was like a drug of adrenaline in a dream. It took me into another world and around characters that were so different from me that I didn’t want to forget them so I wrote everything about them and their interactions and by the time I was finished I had my first novel “Loyalty”. Writing has been a similar thrill ever since. Whether it’s a screenplay or a novel, I love the flow of storytelling. The escape from so called reality is whatever you make it, so I like to make it different, I like to make it fun and I like to make it fluid. With the adventure of writing I constantly end up in a multitude of genres and I really enjoy not being limited in what I can write. My second novel “Heart Strings and Love Nots” was so different from my first novel and every screenplay I’ve written has been nothing like anything I wrote before it. I love the gift of writing and the flow of inspiration. Caught up in the excitement of writing, I never thought about where it comes from when it’s naturally flowing to you. That question and quest of discovery has taken me into worlds that I didn’t know existed not only in the fictional perspective of writers, but also in some factual perspectives of people who do not write. Some call it “the ethers”, others call it “lucid dreams” and to some it’s “consciousness” and to me it’s been imagination, but what happens when you begin to pay attention to how connected thoughts and emotions are and how your writing can show up in the oddest way in the synchronistic life. There are people with whole lectures and study materials on all of this stuff, and while it’s been fascinating to see how people think about creativity in so many different ways…I have to admit…whether it’s origin is real or imagined, I’m grateful to be a creative writer.
CONNECT WITH KAREN:
FOLLOW HER TOUR:
Tour Schedule
April 10: Black Lion Tours Blog: Tour Kick Off.
April 11: Bunny's Reviews Blog: Guest Post.
April 12: Mythical Books: Interview
Kimberly Lewis Novels: Guest Post and Interview.
April 13: My Devotional Thoughts: Interview.
April 14: Fandom Fanatic: Guest Post
A Novel idea Live: Live Interview.
April 15: Laurie's non Paranormal Thoughts and reviews: Interview.
A Novel Idea Live: Promo.
April 16: Jody's Book Reviews: Guest Post.
April 18: Makayla's Book Reviews: Guest Post
April 20: I Know that Book: Guest Post.
April 22: Pure Jonel: Review of Both books and Guest Post.
April 24: Black Lion Tours Blog: Wrap-Up.
Thanks for having Karen today!
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