THE OFFICIAL BLOG OF INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR CHERYL KAYE TARDIF

Mystery, suspense, thrillers, paranormal, horror & YA by "Cheryl Kaye Tardif" & romance by "Cherish D'Angelo". Cheryl is represented by Trident Media Group in NY.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Whale Song - "You will remember this award-winning book for a long, long time"


5.0 out of 5 stars"Canadian author Cheryl Kaye Tardif has a winning combination in her young adult book Whale Song: A Novel. Against a vivid Vancouver Island backdrop she weaves together many effective elements: the native American spirit world, symbolism of the orca (killer whale), racism and bullying, and the tragedy and redemption that run through young Sarah's family.

Eleven-year-old Sarah Richardson moves from Wyoming to Vancouver Island in Canada where her marine biologist father has a new job. Sarah feels alienated, but she makes a new friend in her neighbor Goldie, a Nootka Indian whose grandmother introduces Sarah to the traditional stories of their tribe. Goldie's family tragically lost a son to drowning and the young Goldie believes that the orcas are a link to the spirit of her brother.

When Sarah's artist mother becomes gravely ill, things spin out of control; at the height of her pain Sarah develops a hysterical amnesia and loses both her parents. Years later, emotionally closed-off to everything that had been meaningful to her, she finally finds peace in the love that she had known on Vancouver Island.

The author tells the story in Sarah's voice, and the prose is plaintive and rich. At times you may be reminded of gothic romance:

"...I felt restless and uneasy. I somehow knew that my life would change the second we drove into those trees.

"Destiny...or fate?"

The foreshadowing of tragedy, the intense emotion, a mystery, the suggestion of supernatural elements, loved ones kept apart by a misunderstanding... all gothic elements. But WHALE SONG is decidedly contemporary in the issues faced by adolescents finding their way to adulthood. The values and outcomes are just what you'd want for family reading, and this book will be enjoyed by all ages.

Cheryl Kaye Tardif handles the good and bad of family life with a sure hand, and tells a story that sings; you will remember this award-winning book for a long, long time."

--Linda Bulger, 2009, Amazon Top 500 Reviewer

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Divine Intervention is being considered for a TV series


I have 3 film deals in the works. Nothing guaranteed yet--but then again there aren't any guarantees in the film industry.

My novel Divine Intervention is being considered by a well respected director who has many current hit TV series to his name. I believe he could have a hit as there's nothing quite like it on TV now. It would be like combining Medium, CSI and Ghost Whisperer.

If you haven't read Divine Intervention, it's about 3 psychic government agents (PSIs) and a fireman (Chief of Arson Investigation) and their search for a deadly serial arsonist. The team's covert base is a tiny mountain town called Divine, named after the head of the PSI division.

So my husband got to thinking the other day...He wondered what the title of the television series would be.

He came up with PSI Canada.

I came up with PSI Divine.

Of course it'll probably be something very different. But it was fun wondering.

If you've read Divine Intervention, what do you think a series should be called?

Thursday, September 10, 2009

My thoughts on the closing of Kunati Books

No one likes seeing a dream come to an end, but that's what happened for the partners at Kunati Books, a small Canadian publishing house in Ontario that began signing authors back in 2006, then went out of business in 2009. I was one of their first authors and I can tell you that being a Kunati author has been a real eye-opening experience.

In January 2009, I got my rights back for my novel Whale Song and it was taken out of print. Call it irreconcilable differences. I didn't agree with some of the practices; they crossed ethical boundaries for me. Call it the terrible economy and recession. My books were selling consistently, but not moving in 5 figure increments. Regardless of the reasons, I was happy with the decision to leave Kunati.

When Kunati Books first announced it was closing, the authors who got the calls were shocked, but not surprised. After chatting with some of the current Kunati authors, it appears that after the news reached them, it hit hard and created a lot of havoc in the first week or so. Many of these authors were understandably disappointed by the news. They could see their dreams going down the drain. Most authors are now coming out of the aftershock phase with a more positive outlook on their futures, and I am glad for them.

The possibilities for success for my author friends are endless. While some are considering self-publishing now, others are still hoping to get that decent book deal with a professional publisher. I sincerely hope they achieve their dreams. Some are awaiting a final royalty and making decisions on whether they want to buy their books back.

Some positives came out of my experience with Kunati; in particular, the wonderful friendships I made with many of the other authors. Many of us suffered at various levels through a frustrating time and we bonded because of it. We also celebrated each others' successes, and we continue to do so.

So what have I learned? Well, I'll be blunt. I've learned that it may not be the wisest decision to go with the "new guy" on the block. For all the big splash that Kunati made in its early days, it didn't matter in the end. Sometimes it's best to go with the old, tried and true. But the splashy, bold and controversial are appealing and draw you in.

That being said, I don't think I'll ever take a chance again on a small, new publishing company, especially one run by aspiring authors. Not that they're all doomed, but my experiences had enough red flags, thank you. My aspirations are for a lifelong career as a novelist, and I need a publisher who can work with me as a partner to achieve that goal.

My advice to authors looking for a publisher: do your homework!!! Check them out online and email their authors (current and past). Don't believe everything you read about them--good or bad. And remember the old adage: "if something looks too good to be true, it probably is." And "be careful what you wish for; you might just get it."

Wishing you all much success and happiness.

Read my original post about the closing of Kunati Books

Thursday, September 03, 2009

100-word "elevator pitch" for my thriller The River


The Nahanni River in Canada's Northwest Territories has a history of mysterious deaths, strange disappearances and headless corpses. Seven years ago, Del Hawthorne’s father and three of his friends disappeared near the Nahanni and were presumed dead.

When one of the missing men stumbles onto the University grounds, alive but barely recognizable and aging before her eyes, Del is shocked. Especially when the man tells her something inconceivable. Her father is still alive! Now she and a group of near strangers embark on a perilous mission that involves stem cell research, painful serums, cloning and world domination―with a deadly twist.

Got the "Back to School Blues"?


For many parents, September means one thing: it's back to school time! And that single realization can bristle, stress out and frustrate even the most organized parents. Some even sink into a temporary depression--the "Back to School Blues".

But there's help for you. Really. It's all in how you look at this time of year--or this time in your child's life. The one thing I can promise you, it's temporary.

Let's look at the stress factors:

Back to school means revamping your child's wardrobe. Little Johnny ain't so little anymore, Mom. He shot up four inches over the summer and his jeans end just below his knees. Not really the current fashion statement for a cool dude. And little Lisa has gained a few pounds from all that ice cream. She'll need a size larger, unless you want her bursting at the seems.

Then there's that long list of school supplies, and little Johnny wants that certain brand for his calculator, the one that's $40 more than the no-name kind. Do you cave and kick yourself for being stingy? Or do you hold your ground and teach him a lesson in budgeting? Those lists can equal a car payment if you're not careful. And trust me, you'll need that car, if only just to escape from a house filled with kids whining about homework.

There's also the issue of how your child will get to school. Will he/she travel by school bus, public bus, bicycle or will he/she walk. How will you handle lunches? A lunchbox or lunch at home? Do you need before and after school care?

It's no wonder parents go into a depression at this time of year. If they're really lucky they had a week of unpaid holidays that they now have to make up for, on top of all the school costs. But what's the choice? It's not as if they can buy the pens and notebooks the following month and stretch out the debts.

So how does one deal with the depression of excessive financial debt, plus the fact that little Johnny and Lisa will be gone all day, leaving you alone with nothing to think about other than...work?

You remind yourself: it's only temporary. And it is, I guarantee you.

You have approximately 18 years to buy those school supplies, maybe longer if you're forking the bill for your child's college, university or other post-secondary schooling. As your child matures and gets into high school, you might find some of the stress easing off as they take some responsibility for extra-curricular activity expenses. Little Johnny wants to play hockey? Have him contribute a small amount from his part-time job. Or have him work for you. At least you'll feel you've gotten something back from the hundreds of dollars you've spent on knees pads and helmets.

September is a time for beginnings--the first day back to school, back with all their friends, and the day you release them to this new year of learning. It's also a great time for parents to start new projects. These projects will keep you busy and you'll feel motivated by the subtle changes in your home--specifically, the lack of noise.

As a parent of a 19-year-old who has finished school, I can safely say that it's been a few years since I suffered from the "Back to School Blues". I long for September because it signals change--good change. I find I'm most productive in September and January because both months make me feel I can start over, start something new and start something exciting. And thankfully, I don't need a new wardrobe or a list of supplies or a bus pass, and the only teacher giving me homework is me.

Everything is temporary. Enjoy this time with your child. They grow up far too fast.

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif,

bestselling author of Whale Song

http://www.cherylktardif.com

Tuesday, September 01, 2009

Lancelot's Lady Book Video Trailer

Check out the stunning book video trailer for Lancelot's Lady, my romantic suspense novel, currently entered in the Dorchester/Textnovel "Next Best Celler" contest. Turn up the sound!



This trailer was created by Kelly Komm.

Lancelot's Lady September Giveaway


This contest is very easy to enter. But make sure you follow all the rules or you'll be disqualified.

By now, you've probably heard that my debut romantic suspense Lancelot's Lady has been entered in the Dorchester/Textnovel "Next Best Celler" contest. I need more votes and subscribers to have a chance at winning, and I'm willing to give you 2 things in return--a great free read and the chance to win one of my other novels.

The prizes? Three lucky winners will win a signed copy of one of my novels (The River, Divine Intervention and Whale Song), plus some extra goodies.

Rules:


  1. You must sign up as a member of Textnovel.com (free, easy & no spam).

  2. You must vote for Lancelot's Lady by clicking on the thumbs up icon at the top of my novel's page: http://www.textnovel.com/stories_list_detail.php?story_id=928

  3. You must subscribe to receive a notice about future chapters by clicking on the cell phone icon.

  4. And leave me a review comment on any chapter page at: http://www.textnovel.com/stories_list_detail.php?story_id=928

  5. Contest ends at midnight (MT) on September 30th, 2009.

Prizes will be awarded in early October. No cash value, no exchanges. Please note: you MUST vote, subscribe and comment.

If you have already voted for Lancelot's Lady, please take a second to make sure you've also subscribed (blue circles will be gray if you have) and leave at least one comment.

If you were entered in the preceding monthly giveaway and did not win, you're name will be entered again. One giveaway prize per person.

If you have already voted, subscribed and commented, you'll be automatically entered.

Thank you so much for your support. I truly appreciate it. :-)

~Cheryl

Winners of August Giveaway announced

The winners for my Lancelot's Lady August Giveaway have been announced. You can see the winning names and read more at Lancelot's Lady August Giveaway.

You can read Lancelot's Lady for FREE at Textnovel.com or at: