Interview with Gabriele Napierata

Interview of Gabriele Napierata: a writer, poet, painter, artist, and illustrator.

Interviewed by Author Roy Murry

Her current novel is called: Des hare pepper or Elisha's looking for the big chicken. Here is the link to my website: www.gabriele-napierata.de

Can you tell me a little about yourself?

I was born in the time of the winter storms, before the great flood in 1962 in Hamburg Germany / Kiel, in the sign of Aquarius. Since the age of four draws, and paint I still in school writing and poetry came about. It has always been my desire to speak in photos and paint with words. I wanted the people while looking at my pictures, feel emotions and that what is seen long remain in their memory, they may also sustain busy - food for thought.
Live creativity is a fundamental pillar of my life - no matter in what form, whether it is the images out of my head that is placed on paper or other support materials or thoughts are that form into words and as a poem, or even, as obtain unique shape.

Do you remember the first painting you have done?

I painted my first picture as a child. That does not count, but it was the beginning of my vocation. The image which sprang from my own imagination, painted with oil paint on a support material, was a clown with a violin in his hand. I sold it because the paint was not yet dry.

Have you been inspired by someone or something?

My grandmother had a print by Albrecht Dürer, the "Dürrerhasen." The fine art by this artist attracted me. But I was actually inspired by my parents. We had small notepads with graph paper, on the journal I was allowed to paint. If my mother painted a poodle (it was the 60s (our dog, Susi was a relic of the 50s, which itself into the next decade was able to save and served as a template) or a woman's head - even the possessed curls, my father, garages or houses drew, I was happy.

What do you think about it, if they make a painting?

Ideas come to me in many different ways.
Either shoot me a creative idea through my head that I want to capture either as an image or as a poem, novel, on paper, what happens when I let my thoughts drift or dreaming. I mostly paper and pen lying next to my bed or there is already written excitation, and then this will be implemented pictorially. Or have I done written stories or poems that need to be illustrated?

Can say something about my art?

I have developed my own style, but feel obliged figurative art, experimenting with the techniques, try my own method to continuously improve. Motion and color are important to me, or when black-and-white drawings, the shades, but in all cases, everything should appear vivid as if taken from the midst of movement and immersed in my fantasy world.

What art corresponds to your style?

I do not know. I'm trying to own statement to convey through my paintings: Paul Klee, ink drawings Gustave Doré perhaps. I also like the old outline drawings from the Struwwelpeter. Outstanding work means to me are the pastels, pencil, and ink.

What are you working at the moment?

Indeed, it is now just been working on a new project. In autumn a new work by me appears. It is the first volume of two novels by me. The work will be presented at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2014 in Frankfurt and has the name "dragon crystal and primrose, Volume 1, subtitled" "mist in the wind." Volume 2 has received the subtitle "Wind in the Mist." The plant is in the range of imagination. More poems and illustrations will be published on Facebook and can be found on my website.

Review of Bedeviled Eggs

Bedeviled Eggs

A Cackleberry Club Mystery

Written by Laura Childs

Reviewed by Author Roy Murry

I found this interesting covered book in the library, that I frequent. “Bedeviled Eggs” just struck me to be a strange name of a mystery novel. So I read the first chapter, took it home, and kept on reading.

Laura Childs makes it seem easy to write a story.  The prose just moves along smoothly. I, being an author, know it’s not an easy job to put together an intriguing novel this way. This book pleased me.

Suzanne, the protagonist, and her friends, Toni and Petra, run the Crackleberry Club breakfast and lunch restaurant in the small town of Kindred. Their place is the place to be, but not if your murdered going out the back door.

After this event, Suzanne takes it upon herself to help the Sheriff solve that, and additional crimes. In her snooping, as her boyfriend calls it, she becomes a valuable part of the crime solving. She comes close to paying the price for her involvement. She calls what she is doing investigating.

You call it potato, I call it pota’to. Whatever you call it. Suzanne in her own pleasant way has things happen to her. These happenstances make this novel an enjoyable read with little cruelty other than murder, which is a criminal act, as we all know.

Look into Laura Childs’ books if you like a good mystery: http://amzn.to/168nUQD

Movie Les Misrables

Les Miserables (2012 film)

Directed by Tom Hooper

Music by Claude-Michel Schonberg

For stealing a piece of bread, a man (Jean Valjean) is imprisoned and then hunted down by Javert, a policeman for years. This version won eight Academy Awards. The awards worldwide are too many to mention.

I, like the Academy, agree that the acting and singing is super. It took me two years to get around to seeing it – I don’t like going to the movies – on TV.

The movie portrays the history of France before and leading up to their 1860s Revolution. Victor Hugo’s book comes alive through music.

Jean and Javert’s journey comes to an end. But you’ll have to see if you enjoy it.

The cast is huge, but the most important are: Hugh Jackman as Jean, who won the best actor; Russell Crow as Javert; Anne Hathaway as Fantine, who won best supporting actor; Amanda Seyfried as Cosette, Fantine's daughter; and many other excellent actors.

This story is about good overcoming evil, leading to a new beginning for France.

It’s just too long.

DVD at Amazon or get on your TV:  http://amzn.to/1EkDZl2

   

Review of Beyond the Great River

Beyond the Great River

People of the Longhouse, Book 1

Written by Zoe Saadia

Reviewed by Author Roy Murry

Trusting someone is hard when there is a language, religious, or cultural bearer. This still seems to be one of the biggest problems in our world today.

In Ms. Saadia’s Beyond the Great River series, she gets down to the basics of this issue, using a 14^th century Mohican Indian village being attacked by foreigners - the Iroquois. Each side thinks that the others are pagans, not really knowing anything about each other.

The link between the two warring tribes comes from an unlikely source – a woman. And in those days women had no say what-so-ever. This young lady by the name of Kentika is not passive like all the others of her tribe - she speaks her mind upsetting many. She is tolerated, because of her father's position.

Her strong tomboy personality, faith in humans, and her acquired language gift allowed her to become the link to the world Beyond the Great River. She pays a high price for who she is, during the adventure in meeting Okwaho of the attacking tribe on a romp through the woods.

Their story is at times strange, funny, and tragic. Where it ends, leaves the reader wondering what comes next. This is what makes this first book in a series a good one to read – it should go you thinking. This is an excellent example. 

I have read a few of Ms. Saadia’s books, and I recommend them highly. She gets to the core of her characters’ personalities and brings them alive in a no-nonsense writing style.

   

Purchase her books at http://amzn.to/1m2jZNO

Review Bangkok Rules

Bangkok Rules

Written By Harlan Wolff

Reviewed by Author Roy Murry

I have been studying detective/whodunit books for about 40 years now. They are my favorite genre. Bangkok Rules has all the ingredients: A cleaver private investigator, villains, and an outstanding background written professionally.

Wolff’s PI Carl Engel is put in a position of doom, where he has no control over the events in his adopted country Thailand – he approved it. He has learned the Thai way of life with its underlining currents of corruption since his teens.

He is given a case by an unlikely source. This client brings about his own future, which leads to the unfolding of an evil person who enjoys his lifestyle. His corruption is so vile that the foul stench upsets Carl into action.

Carl’s action is confusing to the people around him, who are aiding him to the point that most feel he should leave the country. He is up against a truly destructive influential group of individuals.

He finds his way to everyone’s surprise including one of his targets. He overcomes his adversities.

Wolff’s fast-paced novel kept me intrigued. I have been to Thailand, Vietnam, and other countries in Asia. If you haven’t, this is a good read to get you in touch. If you have, the novel will please you with its content.

Purchase at http://amzn.to/1IuKdma

    

Review of On The Rails

Review of ‘On The Rails’
By
Suzan Collins

Reviewed by Author Roy Murry

The tedious and boring function of taking the train and then the subway (Tube in the UK) consecutively, is interwoven into this story of a woman named Nikki, whose quests is to find her soul mate. She has found him and commits to a venture that requires her to commute into London from her country home each time his sponsored charity’s organization needs her to be at meetings.

This feat happens three to four times a week – three to four hours each way. It’s a trip I would not undertake myself for any reason, never mind for love.

Nikki has money and time, because of an event that broke her heart and she is trying to fill that void by Volunteering. She tells her friends that the trips aren't bad; because she gets the charity’s work done while riding the rails.

She connects with the man of her dreams, a man she flirts with, and a man who wants her. Those storylines and that of a commuter’s trials and errors in trying to get from point A to point B are incorporated into what the author calls a Chick Lit. Adventure. There is romance, but I feel too much traveling.

The traveling back and forth seems overwritten at times, but it is the glue that brings Ms. Collins’ story forward because it is here we learn about how Nikki is coping with the world around her and the romances in her life.

To find out about those romances and how she deals with them and her traveling experiences, I recommend this adventure which will take a few sittings to understand all of Nikki’s rail adventures. Take the book on a long train ride or many trips in the Tube. It will be enjoyable that way.

Purchase at http://amzn.to/1m2eIpw

Review of Game of Love

Game of Love

Written by Melissa Foster

Reviewed by Author Roy Murry

Finding ones’ way in life is a chore. But knowing who you can be a tougher challenge without proper feedback from a loving family and friends.

In their teenage years, Dex and Ellie were an item but not lovers in a biblical way. They were friends.

Her presence in his life gave him strength. However, Ellie had strengths of another kind, but her home environment weakened them and led her to Remington’s home, especially to Dex’s room.  

Her home environment resulted in mental roadblocks that affected the way Ellie communicated her feelings. Dex has no doubt of his abilities or who he is because he was nurtured by his family and his best friend, unbeknown to her, Ellie.

Because of reasons not told to Dex, Ellie was taken out of his life. She is now on his doorstep again, four years after a prior short encounter. She still has emotional baggage – insecurities as to who she is – strengths and weaknesses.

Dex’s caring and loving push Ellie in the right direction, but it is a woman friend of his that apparently helps Ellie see some light at the end of the tunnel.

It’s a gripping story from the beginning to end, that will have you crying, and laughing at times. Traumatic events bring us to a conclusion.

Ms. Foster’s style of characterization leaves no doubt as to who loves who; and the steam in the relationship goes up and down, keeping the reader guessing if the joining of Dex and Ellie will ever be completed.

Game of Love, The Remingtons, Book One; Love in Bloom Series stands alone. However, it may be interesting to see who will fall in love in the next book of this series.

Purchase at Amazon: http://amzn.to/1m2epew