shaking a fist at McAbee

K. G. McAbee is one of those writers I found by accident. For some reason when I stumble across a writer's work on my own (like Bonnie Dee, and A.M. Riley and Elaine Corvidae**), I turn into a bigger fan girl than when someone sends or recommends great stories. The serendipity is thrilling and that makes me more possessive, I guess. Those are the writers I will google every now and then just because I might have missed something. Don't want to miss anything.

Yessiree, It's the found-on-my-own factor that makes me more possessive because it holds true for the bigger names too. My Layton, Farr and MacAvoy. My precioussess. I will find you all when you publish. I will track you down. [crazed cackling goes here]

So I found McAbee a few years ago and promptly did a glom. I think I even wrote a fan-letter--I think a real letter, not an email--and she wrote back. That's how long ago it was. Then I waited for her new book(s). And waited. And googled. Nothing.

Anyway. I gave up. Some people, like that pesky Emma Jensen, just stop writing. That's that.

AND THEN this morning in one of my writer yahoo groups, there were a bunch of emails about a contest and how people are finaling. I hit delete, delete, delete because it's a noisy group, I don't know the contest and I don't much care. I was poised on the delete button on an announcement from some finalist named Gail McAbee. Huh, coincidence about the name but still....I googled and HEY, that's KG! HEY! HEEEEEEYYEEEEE.

Not only that, she's published with the publishing company associated with Sam Winston's real persona, a publisher called Calderwood.

Well, fine, then. I'm buying the book, and I'm going to buy another finalist from the same contest and same publisher-- A CHARM FOR A UNICORN by some chick named Jennifer Macaire.

But for the next release, KGM, I expect an engraved invitation or at least an email. Get yourself a promo-machine, woman.

OH and let me just say I'm glad I own a copy of this McAbee book **** because even though I like it, a lot, I wouldn't want to pay $214 for it. Jeepers. I see another one of hers is going for only $42.
________
** Who is also a finalist in the contest. Small world.

**** my 2003 anonymous Amazon review of the book (why anonymous? I dunno. Maybe because I was even more pompous than the hero of the book? and somehow I knew it? )

The narrator is pompous, funny, but above all appealing. Think of the best secondary characters/clowns (even Falstaff perhaps?) in Shakespeare -- the "prince" is nearly as asinine and clever as they are. And even as you roll your eyes at him, you have to root for the guy and you certainly care what happens to him.

The heroine is not quite as well developed (I suppose it's inevidable in a first person narrative), but she's still intriguing and a refreshing change from the usual. The secondary characters are all fun. The scenes from another world are also very vivid.

I had planned to take my time but ended up reading it all in one sitting. Very well done -- only complaint: it wasn't longer.