The Book Faery Reviews Discovering paths to new dimensions through books…

The Light, The Dark, & Ember Between, JW Nicklaus 8.04.09

This book is a collection of uplifting images that delve into the reflections of the human condition.  These stories will cause you to think, laugh, and even cry at the beauty of emotional memories.  You will smile at the thought of love lost and found again in "Paper Doll."  You will think about your life's choices in "10:18."  You will cry tears of joy while reading about the hidden gift in "Winter Rose."  This is a must-have collection of thought-provoking reflections perfect for your bedside or the beach. - FROM THE BOOK BACK

FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS...If you enjoy reading collections of short stories, then be sure to pick up a copy of The Light, The Dark, & Ember Between by Nicklaus. It's perfect for quick reads when time is limited and the stories aren't connected to each other so you can jump around story to story for whatever mood you may be in.  Explore your human emotions as you read each of his stories.  I personally enjoyed giggling while I read "Elevator Shoes" and "Short Attention Span".  Then of course Nicklaus had me sighing in awe after reading "Paper Dolls".

Have I recently told you how much I love authors who I find connecting with so easy?  If I haven't recently I'm telling you again! Mr. Nicklaus is one of those authors I've absolutely enjoyed chatting with both about his latest book The Light, The Dark, & Ember Between and life in general.  He's a grand new friend of mine who has put a smile on my face with his words of encouragement!   So...without taking up too much of today's post, here's J.W. Nicklaus' guest post about his novel The Light, The Dark, & Ember Between...

THANKS J.W. FOR GETTING TO KNOW ME AND HANGING OUT WITH THIS BOOK FAERY!

We're a nation that loves to keep stats and measure productivity in some quantifiable manner. We like the stark linearity that numbers provide. It's been said that "numbers don't lie." Perhaps by themselves they don't, but indeed our interpretation of them, or simply of their declarations, can certainly mislead us.

See, this post has nothing whatsoever to do with ratios or mathematical constructs. More to the point, it relates to how I approached the stories in The Light, The Dark, and Ember Between; stories about the fetters and chains we keep around our hearts, and about the sometimes surprising ways we are liberated from them.

I am a self-professed hopeless romantic—not the least bit certain how I got here, but I can't deny it. I'm also a huge proponent of being observant, simply watching and studying people in their surroundings and situations. Through my observations I've noted that many of the things that move us, that evoke profound emotional responses, deal with some mixture of three ingredients: Romance, Mystery, and Magic. Our attraction to—and intrigue with—others is clearly woven with the latent thread of any one or all three.

I hadn't set out with the intention of writing these stories for publication, but as merely a way to exorcise this demon or that, or perhaps even connect with my better angels. As I combed through all the stories I'd written I found that some of them shared the same undercurrent of hope and love—not the over-sentimental kind, but often the kind of love brought on by heartbreak or loss, because we truly often learn the most important lessons through those emotional conduits. That's not to say they're all sad or weepy . . . not at all:

In One Washington Diner, a couple learns the hard way that there just may be a chrome lining to a very dark cloud.

Emissary reveals a widowed husband trying desperately to understand his better angel while simultaneously balancing a reluctant son and a daughter-in-law who hasn’t been let in on the secret . . . yet.

So many times we’re dead certain the grass is greener on the other side. 10:18 reminds us there are potential consequences for the choices we make, so look at the lawn around your feet before over-seeding.

And Paper Doll is that gentle tap on your shoulder, that inner voice that whispers of second chances.

Fifteen tales in all, shades of romance and drama, sprinkled with dashes of humor, all ready to nimbly tug at the reader and remind them that Hope isn’t as distant as it might feel. Within the pages you'll find differing measures of the three aforementioned ingredients — but all within one small, surprising package.

Three to one :^)

Thanks again for everything, Farrah!

Sincerely,
J.W. Nicklaus

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About The Book Faery

Farrah is from the Raleigh, North Carolina area and married to her high school sweetheart. She's a 30-something mom to 3 crazy yet loveable kids who keep her constantly on her toes. Books can be found in every room in the house and bags as well. Reading is done every moment she gets the chance and a typical afternoon of fun would often find her and the 3 kiddos at a local bookstore or library hunting for the next book. She's currently working towards her goal to one day owning a cafe/bookstore in a historic downtown area where it's all about the reader's experience...community, atmosphere and the love of books.