Mona Ingram

Historical Romance and Modern Love

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What did you read in 2014?

January 3, 2015 by Mona

   2014 was a productive year for me, working on The Women of Independence series, as well as completing three books in The Gold Rush Romance Series.
   In spite of that, I found plenty of time to read, and I’d like to share with you some of my favourites.
   I first discovered Russell Blake’s Jet series, and enjoyed it immensely. But, dedicated as he is, he still can’t write ‘em fast enough, so I scoured the rest of his impressive list and came across his Assassin series. I’m not sure how he does it, but he’s created a likeable character out of an assassin. If you’re not sure if this is your cup of tea, the first book in the series is free. Check it out HERE.
Nick Russell is another author I first discovered through a series. His Big Lake books are difficult to pigeonhole. Part police procedurals, part character study… humorous and exciting all at the same time. Check them out. But in my opinion, Dog’s Run is his masterpiece (so far). A beautifully crafted story that you won’t soon forget. Check out the Amazon blurb HERE. You won’t be sorry.
Since I was writing historical romance this past year, I felt compelled to read a few historical romance authors. Here are two I enjoyed:
Jo Beverley’s The Company of Rogues Series.
Also:
Christie Caldwell’s Heart of a Duke Series. HERE’s the link to Book 1:
In contemporary romance, I enjoyed Catherine Bybee’s Not Quite Series: 
Bryce Courtenay is my all-time favourite author. My granddaughter turned me on to him some years ago with The Power of One. If I was marooned on a desert island and could only take two books, they would be:  Four Fires, and  Whitethorn.
I discovered Billy Kring somewhere around the middle of the year and quickly gobbled up his books. I like his Ronny Baca mysteries, but for a gritty, honest look at the life of a border patrol agent (which Kring has been), take a look at his Hunter Kincaid books.  I recommend you start with Quick. 
On the recommendation of a friend, I discovered Wayne Stinnett. His Fallen Palm is Book One in the Jesse McDermitt series. I ran through them quickly and await the next in the series.
And, along with many others, I read Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman. I’m not sure what it was about this book, but I found it fascinating.
And lastly, I haven’t read this one yet, but I already know I’ll enjoy it. I Must Say, by Martin Short. If I get a chance, I’ll post a review.
Happy Reading in 2015!!

Filed Under: billy kring, Bryce Courtenay, Catherine Bybee, Christi Caldwell, Jo Beverley, Martin Short, Nick Russell, Piper Kerman, Russell Blake, Wayne Stinnett

This one, I’ll savour…

May 8, 2013 by Mona

I’m in mourning today. No, not because the Canucks lost, but because I just discovered that my all-time favourite author died last November. Bryce Courtenay was famous for The Power of One, which was an amazing book (I’ve read it several times), but my personal favourites are The Four Fires, and Whitethorn. He has a new book out now, which I snapped up, called Jack of Diamonds. It starts in Toronto, in the 40s. Can’t wait to get my 2K words done today so I can go down to the park and start reading!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CI7IL1I

Filed Under: 1940s, Bryce Courtenay, Jack of Diamonds, jazz, poker, Toronto

When Once Is Not Enough

April 30, 2012 by Mona

Do you re-read your books? I do, and not because I don’t have anything else to read. Most of us who read know about The Power of One. My granddaughter introduced me to this book which has become famous around the world.
In Australia, Bryce Courtenay is the bomb. He’s as well known as Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman combined. In addition to The Power of One, he has written several other books set in Africa, one of which tears me apart every time I read it. In interviews, Bryce has said that Peekay in The Power of One is based on himself in his earlier life, but I suspect that the story of Tom Fitzsaxby in Whitethorn is also influenced by his early years.
I’m constantly amazed that Mr. Courtenay can capture so clearly the voice of a young boy as narrator for his stories. The humour, the heartbreak, the wonder, it’s all there in his exquisite prose. Not only are his stories hugely entertaining, but he manages to slip in some history in each book…some more than others.
It’s unfortunate that Mr. Courtenay isn’t more widely known in the US. I’m inspired by him, and if you go to his website at http://brycecourtenay.com I think you’ll be inspired too…especially the part about why he was kicked out of Africa.
My all-time favourite Bryce Courtenay book is Four Fires. Set in Australia, it has it all…family saga, a love story and a good dose of history. As with his African books, you gain insight into the lives of the characters as well as life in a small Australian town of that era. I never tire of this book.
I re-read lots of authors but while we’re “down under” there are two more authors whose books in my library clearly show the signs of having been read more than once:  Colleen McCullough and Patricia Shaw. McCullough is of course widely known for The Thorn Birds, but I particularly enjoy Morgan’s Run, a gritty but ultimately satisfying tale. On the lighter side, Patricia Shaw writes what I loosely call adventure sagas, generally with a love story thrown in for good measure. She’s not easy to find in our local Canadian book stores, but the next time I order from Amazon, I’ll throw in a couple of Patricia Shaw books for good measure. I’ll probably read those again as well.

Filed Under: Africa, Australia, Bryce Courtenay, Favorite Books, Reading, Writing

About Mona Ingram

Mona Ingram is the author of over four dozen romance novels and several series, including the Forever Series, the Gold Rush Series, the Women of Independence Series, the Second Chances Series and the Dear Santa Series.

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About Mona Ingram

Romance author Mona Ingram has written dozens of novels, including the Forever Series, the Gold Rush Series, and the Women of Independence Series. She lives in British Columbia, Canada.

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Email me at mona@monaingram.com.

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