A sensuous book, from beginning to end. The physical book itself is a treat all on it’s own. Rich, deep red cover. Slightly raised gold title, in flowing script that looks painted on, and still wet. Gold border tracing it’s way around the front cover. The only object pictured is the end of a bow for a cello, curving across the cover. The pages inside are thin, and smooth to the touch, much more so than the paper used in most hard cover books today. Treat yourself to a hardcover copy of this book, don’t wait for the paperback version.

The story is just as rich and sumptuous. Not a work of historical fiction, because the main characters are not supposed to be specific actual people. Instead, the author modeled them from a few actual people, and modified things to fit the story. She included “cameos” of actual historical people, including Pablo Picasso, to my delight. Some of the book takes place during actual times of war, which the author includes in the story. The result of all this is that this book feels like a work of historical fiction anyway. Just as detailed, just as developed.

The main character is Feliu Delgado, who was “almost born happy”. After a nearly disastrous birth, he is presumed to be born dead. His mom wanted him to be named “Feliz” with means “Happy” in Spanish. She had his brother, who was still a young child, write the name on a paper for the man who writes the birth and death certificates. The man could not read the writing, and instead wrote “Feliu”, the name of a saint. Almost born happy. Poor Feliu spends large parts of his life being “almost happy”.

His father dies when he is a small child, leaving behind a package of gifts for his family. His mother lets Feliu choose his gift first, and he selects a Spanish bow for a cello. From that moment on, music is a huge part of his life. It gives him meaning, brings him hope, helps him survive the rough times. Feliu doesn’t just hear the music. He experiences each note as having a separate color, and a separate flavor, and the author describes that beautifully. It’s all about the music.

This story is told entirely from Feliu’s vantage point, because he is telling his life story to a reporter. (Wait until you find out who that person really is!). He has some exciting times, all as a result of being a cello player. Feliu learns to play on the street with other musicians when he is young. He becomes part of the Spanish king’s court when he is older, making friends with Queen Ena, who was from England, and being instructed by a wonderful cello teacher. Feliu has an intense relationship with this teacher’s daughter, who has her own ideas of how to learn to play a duet.

As a young boy, Feliu meets a famous piano player who was then going by the name “El Nino”. When Feliu is older, the two meet again, and spend years traveling together and performing shows, first becoming friends, and later, they might as well be brothers. The two team up with a woman who plays the violin, who has a very mysterious and secret past, which she slowly reveals to Feliu. The three are inseparable, until, once World War Two begins, they do separate before finding each other again. The intensity of the relationships between the three never fades.

The Spanish Bow is a passionate, intense, sensual book. You need not be a fan of the cello, or even of historical fiction to get into this story and really enjoy it. It’s beautiful, and sad, and filled with a sense of longing that makes the reader ache in sympathy with the suffering characters. Fans of the movie “Amadeus”, (which was about Mozart), will fall especially hard for this book. I was impressed by how much I enjoyed it, considering that I usually avoid books that include so many details about politics, and considering that while I enjoy music, I am no musician. The book is like dark, rich, chocolate. You will be surprised by how much you enjoy this treat.

There is an old fairy tale, by the Brothers Grimm, that is about a fish. It’s called “The Fisherman’s Wife”, and most people have heard it before. A tale that wisely warns us all to “be careful what you wish for”.

The basic story in the Grimm’s Fairy Tale starts with a Fisherman, who catches a fish. It’s a special fish, that talks, and begs the fisherman to let him go. The fish promises to grant wishes to the fisherman in return. So, the fisherman lets the fish go, and makes a small wish. The wish is granted…. and life seems pretty good for the fisherman, despite not having anything to bring home for dinner that night. Eventually, the fisherman’s wife finds out about this little deal, and has a few wishes of her own she’d like granted. Things get out of hand, and these wishes, and their consequences, do nothing more than make the fisherman’s life absolutely miserable.

Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it!

May starts with this fairy tale, and updates it for modern readers. Her main character, Woody, is a typical guy. He’s twenty-something, and working a little job at a yacht club. His dream is to one day finish working on his boat, so he can sail it around the world. Until then, he’s happy to work at his job, and live with his aunt, (who raised him).

Then, one day, Woody, meets a girl, of course. Madalina is a stunningly beautiful waitress at the same yacht club, a recent immigrant from Romania, and way out of Woody’s league. He is instantly smitten, but believes he stands no chance with her, especially when one of the spoiled rich guys also takes an interest in Madalina.

On a fateful day, Woody’s life changes. He starts out helping out a new club member with a boat the guy has no idea how to operate. The guy doesn’t want his girlfriend to know how inept he is, so he tells her that he and Woody are going on a “fishing trip”, and sends her off to go shopping. The guy instantly gets seasick, takes too many drugs to counter it, and falls asleep, leaving Woody essentially alone to go fishing. Woody catches a great big fish, that talks to him, begs for his freedom, and offers to grant wishes to Woody if he lets him go. The fish says his name is Prince, and he used to own a car dealership before he was turned into a fish.

The story is completely unbelievable, but does have a nice “fairy tale” feel to it. It’s predictable, and funny, and a nice easy read. As you can likely guess, the fish “helps” Woody get together with Madalina, and Woody is a happy guy. But then, Madalina finds out about this great deal, and has a few wishes of her own she demands to have granted. Each wish is bigger than the last one, until, eventually, it’s all too much for poor Woody, who just wants his old life back.

There are lots of books out there that retell fairy tales. I find them interesting. You get the old, familiar story, with a modern twist, and a little piece of wisdom that still holds true today. Comforting, familiar, and at the same time, new and exciting.

This book isn’t something I normally would have selected to read, but I enjoyed it anyway, despite the constant reference to the hardness contained in various character’s pants (which is mentioned all too frequently). It’s not exactly what I would think of as a “romance” book, but does contain a love story. Most of the characters are developed just enough to be walking stereotypes, which is exactly what I would expect to find in every “fairy tale”. If you are looking for something deep, or dark, or incredibly detailed, this is not the book for you. However, if you just want to read something that is fun and easy, with a sense of humor and a familiar story line, or if you happen to be a fan of “fairy tales”, then you will really enjoy this book.

Something is haunting Monroe House in Cambria, a quiet picturesque town in California. No matter what your guess might be about exactly what is doing the haunting, let me assure you that you are not only wrong, but way off. This book will surprise you!

Parker and Lily are newlyweds who get married and purchase Monroe House on the same day. They intend to open up a Bed and Breakfast. Before they can even get started, tragedy strikes, and Parker is left to pick up the pieces, unsure if he even wants to make an attempt.

He is a stranger in this small town where everyone knows everyone else. He has no idea what is required to renovate Monroe House, other than a certainty that the ugly victorian wallpaper must go! Parker finds that Monroe House comes with an awkward, skinny, caretaker named Eleanor, who can’t be talked into leaving, and Lily’s grandmother is basically causing him trouble. What else could go wrong? Plenty!

Eleanor has seen, heard, and experienced some terrifying things during her stay at Monroe House. Instead of describing them, she waits, and lets Parker, (and the reader), see for himself. As time goes on, Eleanor and Parker make all sorts of plans about just what they should do, and a friendship is started.

Parts of this book really freaked me out, they were that scary! I haven’t had the pleasure of being frightened by a book in a long, long time. This is one of those books where you get to the end of a chapter and can’t wait to read the next one, and the next one, because you just have to know what happens next. It’s more than just a scary “ghost story”, however. This is a book with something for everybody. Scary things that go bump in the night, love and romance, lots of really funny scenes, and even some lesbians! Chapters ten and eleven are laugh-out-loud funny, which I found balanced nicely with some of the scary-as-hell chapters.

Don’t miss out on this one, it’s a real treat.

Richard Taylor was kind enough to do an interview for Bookwyrm U. S.. What follows are my questions, and his answers, for all my readers to enjoy.

Jen Thorpe:Your book describes Cambria so vividly that readers will feel  like they are right there, walking around town.  Readers might be  inspired to visit Cambria, and see the sights.  Do any of the  places mentioned in your book exist?  Did they ever?  Is there a   real “Monroe House”?

Richard Taylor: Actually, everything mentioned in the book actually exists EXCEPT  Monroe House. Since the book was published I’ve been approached  numerous times with the question, is Monroe House Squibb House, or J.  Patrick House? It’s neither, merely a figment of my imagination.  Actually, Monroe House is far too big a place for Cambria, which for  the most part is made up of far more modest buildings. The one  building that could have been Monroe House is now The Burton Inn, but  of course it’s located in the wrong place. The Brambles, Cambria’s  granddaddy restaurant, is architecturally accurate except for being  single story.

JT:I had very vivid pictures in my head as I was reading your  book.  You have described the scenery, and the settings so well, I  could just about see it.  From the beach with the driftwood, to the  monstrous victorian wallpaper in the house, to the stars in the  sky, it was all right there to be seen.  Are there any plans in the  works to make this book into a movie?

RT: It’s a little early to be thinking about a film sale. THE HAUNTING  OF CAMBRIA is a debut novel and it’s only been out for several  months, so I’m hoping word of mouth will work for it. I’ve had a  couple of inquiries from producers I’ve worked with in the past, but  they too are waiting to see if it will have the appropriate impact.  Early reports are that it is selling well, so we shall see.

JT:Some of the characters in the book, the “historians”, seem to be  passing on local urban legends to Parker and Eleanor when they  start asking questions about the history of Monroe House.  Did you  come across any actual urban legends about Cambria before you wrote  the book?  Is there anything really haunting some part of Cambria,  that you know of?

RT: You know, I ran into a reader at The Cookie Crock, Cambria’s only  supermarket (well, mini-supermarket would be more accurate) and while  she was praising the book profusely a passerby asked, “Oh, is the  book really about Cambria?” My reader said, “Oh, no, but it’s really  good!” As far as she was concerned, HAUNTING OF CAMBRIA had nothing  to do with the real town at all! I started writing the novel the week  I moved to Cambria five years ago and finished it Halloween night  (Boo!), so the truth is, I was an outsider then (as I probably am  now). I took great liberties — well, truthfully, I lied a lot. It’s  fiction, right? I’ve had several readers approach me with ghost  stories of their own since then, but in each case it was long after  the book was written.

JT:Most of the book comes from the viewpoint of Parker, with all  his “typical guy” kinds of thoughts.  Later in the book, in a few  key parts, the viewpoint switches over to a female character,  Laura, and now the reader is getting her very female point of  view.  Often when authors write characters that aren’t the same  gender as they are, the internal dialogue of the character is a bit  “off”, but you have done a great job here.  Did you need to do any  additional work to get the thoughts of Laura to be so authentic?   Or was it just as easy as writing what goes on inside Parker’s head?

RT: Hm, interesting question. I’ve just finished a novel told from the  point of view of the female lead. Is it harder to write from within  the head of the opposite sex? Yes, of course it is. Thankfully most  of my early readers (the ones who provide editorial guidance) are  women, so that helps. Jackie, my wife, mocks me into understanding  women better, sometimes, so that helps. Much of what makes Laura work  is her relationship with her father. Laura’s older sister was  brutally raped, so her father explained to her that what happened to  her sister wasn’t about male sexuality. Laura’s father saves men for  her, which of course is what parents do, they provide models to  imitate. The truth is, I think, men and women are very much alike  except by degrees. They are as capable of every human failing, they  love, they hate, they envy, they can be kind, caring, generous. I  have a line from my new novel, THEY FEAST, that I’m proud of. It  delineates the difference between how men and women approach sex: Men  tend to see women as art, while women tend to see men as literature,  for character. Of course, every generality is wrong much of the time.

JT:The book ended with all the questions answered, and still the  potential for there to be a sequel.  What’s next?  A book that  takes up where this one ends, or something entirely new and different?

RT:I sold THE HAUNTING OF CAMBRIA to St. Martin’s Press/TOR as a  series. They have tentatively okayed a second book, VAMPYR OF  CAMBRIA, but as yet we haven’t signed a contract. In the interim I’ve  written two books, STONES SKIPPING ON WATER, a reincarnation  thriller, and just today finished THEY FEAST, which is billed as a  vampire story for the new age. Stones hasn’t been placed yet. The  book marketplace is very difficult. My editor at TOR told me it’s a  miracle to sell a first novel, and to have that novel do well is an  even greater miracle. A lot rides on how well HAUNTING OF CAMBRIA  does commercially. The reviews thus far have been nothing less than  sensational, so I’m hopeful.

JT:Something I often wonder when I read a book is: “What does this  author like to read?”  Your book has a little something for  everyone.  It’s a ghost story.  It’s a love story (well, I guess  it’s actually more than one love story).  Parts are terrifying, and  other parts are laugh- out- loud funny.  There are even parts that  might almost be considered “travel writing”, because Cambria is an  actual town in California.  Whose work do you like to read, and how  did those authors influence your writing, (if at all)?

RT:Cambria is a writer’s town, you know. Until recently absurd  humorist Christopher Moore lived here. His novel LAMB is one of the  best I’ve read. Katherine Ryan Hyde also lives in Cambria. She wrote  PAY IT FORWARD, which is considered a classic by many. My favorite of  her books is WALTER’S PURPLE HEART, which is a very low-key, lovely  and romantic reincarnation story. I love Stephen King, of course, but  most of the horror writers leave me dissatisfied. My favorite writer  is J.K. Rowling. I’ve read the complete Harry Potter series. I read  the last book in forty-eight hours. It was wonderful. I don’t think  any one writer influences me. though. Not one of my books is like  another — why repeat yourself?

JT:Just out of curiosity, what grows in your garden at home?  Do  you have any houseplants?  What kinds?

RT:Ha-ha! Trick question. Read the book, get the trick! To answer  your question seriously, we don’t garden. We allow our neighbor to  grow tomatoes in our back yard. Jackie requests that certain kinds of  flowers are planted (she’s in a wheelchair, so she doesn’t garden  herself). As for me, I spend most of my time inside my head. I tend  not to garden in there.

JT:What music did you listen to while you were writing this book?   What made you choose to listen to that in particular?

RT:My taste in music runs to the abnormal. I love soundtracks. I  collect movie soundtracks, combine them into one long orchestral work  and then play them on my iPod. Some of my favorite pieces are MEET  JOE BLACK by Thomas Newman, THE DA VINCI CODE by Hans Zimmer, CIDER  HOUSE RULES by Rachel Portman, among others. I love romantic  classical pieces, Rachmaninoff, Debussy, Ravel, Fauré, those guys.  Delius, Dvoråk, Grieg too. My favorite symphony is Beethoven’s 6th. I  love the 9th, too, but without the vocals. I’m not an opera guy.

JT:Where on the internet can my readers go to keep up to date  about the when and where of your upcoming book readings and signings?

RT:www.hauntingofcambria.com. Thank you very much.

JT:What was the most interesting, or the strangest thing that has  happened at any of your book signings or readings?  I’m always  curious about what it’s like to do those.

RT:One woman drove a long distance to buy the book. More than twenty  miles. One woman bought seven, to use as gifts, Christmas, I think.  The manager and assistant manager of one store each bought a copy. I  thought that was wonderfully odd. One woman was going to buy it for  her child. No, I don’t think so. Frankly, I’m always amazed to find  people wanting to buy it. It’s a new and thrilling (yes, thrilling)  experience for me. I think the one thing I’m not prepared for, and  this exceeds your question because it’s about reviews, not signings  or readings, and that’s how enthusiastic people seem to be about THE  HAUNTING OF CAMBRIA. No one has ever used the word ‘brilliant’ in the  same sentence with my name before (they described an aspect of the  book, not me). I’d prepared myself for critics to hate it — you know,  you prepare yourself for the worst — but so far every review has been  at least good and most have been enthusiastically positive.

JT:Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview with me!

RT: Thanks, Jen.