I admit to checking on Sam Cabot’s BLOOD OF THE LAMB this morning because, well, you know, a pre-order would make a great Father’s Day gift…
I find it’s offered on an Amazon page that includes a couple of other books with similar titles (Sam didn’t make the phrase up, after all), some other paranormal novels — and “EAT RIGHT FOR YOUR BLOOD TYPE.” O-kay…
Searching for the swans,
I startle small blue heron.
Sorry, my error.
From a reader on Goodreads:
Wow!
I love literary suspense, and this is just my kind of book. It’s along the lines of THE DA VINCI CODE, but the plot (which includes a supernatural element) is even more surprising than that bestseller. As for the big secret at the center of the mystery, a word of warning: it’s definitely controversial. I don’t have a problem with that, but some people might. I can’t wait for the next Sam Cabot book!
Sam says: thanks, reader!
On pawlonia,
No blossoms. After the storm,
They’re carpetting yard.
Thin alium stalks
Wave round tips. They’ll bloom purple
As soon as there’s sun.
Cardinal calls mate,
Listens through birdsong racket,
Hears faint answer, flies.
And yet more haiku.
Tiger Woods has injured his wrist. The Daily News is running a photo of him bent over, cradling it, with the headline, “Ouching Tiger.”
Meanwhile, I’m on a bus in Queens, and we just passed a block of shops offering the following dining options: King Wok, Hot Bagels, Tokyo Sushi, Napoli Pizzeria, Mediterreanan Falafel, Pakistan Curry House, Ralph’s Gyros & Subs, Mian Noodle House, and Ali Baba Turkish Cuisine.
As I knew would happen eventually, a pair of carpenters are as we speak in the backyard, ripping apart the fence for the purpose of repairs. It was leaning badly and would likely not have survived the winter, possibly not even another couple of summer storms. The leaning had pulled the cladding away from the structure, and that opening is what allowed Squirrely and Squeeze access, so they could relocate the fallen nest inside it. The young squirrels played tag in and out of that fence all spring. If it were mine I’d have left it until it fell, but it for sure would have fallen. So it’s being tended to, no doubt to the consternation of the squirrel population. The good news is, whoever gets to stay here through the winter — which will be up to whomever is the dominant female, though it will be the male who builds the nest — has now plenty of time to choose a new piece of real estate. In other news, the black squirrel, who I believe to be responsible for at least one of the young ‘uns, was seen sneaking into the backyard from the street at the front of the building two days ago. He does seem to know the clandestine route through the fire exit. Once the carpenters are gone, I wonder what intrigue will occur?
A couple of early reviews in on BLOOD OF THE LAMB. These are excerpts from longer reviews, but Sam didn’t want to overwhelm this blog with, you know, too many words.
From Publishers Weekly:
Audacious supernatural religious thriller. This… concept sets the book apart from… Da Vinci Code imitations. But the deeper secret may strike many readers as too over-the- top.
And two from early readers on Goodreads.
First:
Blood of the Lamb’s prose is orders of magnitude better than The Da Vinci Code, and not at all plodding like I found The Historian. I’m not much into supernatural, but I loved this book. The supernatural is there, but not the drive-you-under-your-bed-scared sort of thing. It’s just a part of the story. There is much to consider while reading Blood of the Lamb, and much after you’ve finished. Whether you think it’s your kind of book, you owe it to yourself to at least start it to see how well it’s written and how incredibly not like other vampire books it is.
Second:
My first instinct while deciding on how to begin my review was definitely to state loud and clearly that this novel is very controversial! It’s a The Da Vinci Code meets Underworld, revolving around fictional religious matter and use of creative liberty that is bound to offend some.
That aside, I really enjoyed this book. I was enraptured by the numerous twists and turns throughout the book. There was liberal use of multiple points of view, which sometimes I read a little too quickly, desperate to get back to the main story, but I understand to have successfully added suspense and mystery. I was shocked by the ending, and found many of the twists to be unpredictable, something I must commend its writers on. I found this a well balanced and highly enjoyable book and may very well read it again!
Gotta tell you, Sam loves this. He loves “over-the-top,” he loves “orders of magnitude better” and he especially loves “controversial.” Can’t wait to find out what you guys think.
The NY Times doesn’t say who the old lady was. But we all know, don’t we?
Fog is rain is fog.
Not yesterday’s crashing floods,
But not dry here yet.
Branch fell last winter.
Now, to reach maple, squirrel
Makes new, daring leap.
White, purple iris;
Cream foxglove; pink bleeding heart;
And a sea of mint.
Took the day off from writing yesterday. I mean, even Sam Cabot gets a break every now and then, right? So what do you do on a New York City day off?
Started at 10:30 am in Newark, at the NY Liberty basketball game. (Women’s pro ball, for the non-jocks in the room.) The Liberty are playing in Newark until the renovation of Madison Square Garden is done. It was School Day, that’s why the early start. The school kids aren’t going to be studying anyway this close to the end of the year, so they might as well come out and have a good time. We did seem to be in an adults-only section, thank you, Prudential Center. Great game, team looked good. (We won!) (In overtime!) Notable moment: during one time out, Maddie, the Liberty mascot, gets out on the floor, the music goes silent and then strikes up, and Maddie’s dancing to “Gangnam Style.” So’s practically every kid in the arena. Doing all the moves, to words sung in Korean over the gazillion watt sound system of the Prudential Center.
After the game, back to Manhattan for a meeting and a sweet-pea-and-hummus sandwich with a student. (That was the work part of the day, though I must say, it fit nicely into a day off, because I like this student and her work.) Then an hour at an exhibition of sculpture and works on paper by Jeffrey Gibson, a Native American artist raised and trained in Europe. Some work I loved, some I didn’t, but the artist is definitely someone I’ll keep track of. This was the research part of the day, for those of you keeping track, as was the next hour which I spent in Dag Hammarskjold Plaza drinking iced tea in the park and reading print-outs of articles I’d saved up, pieces that relate to the book I’m working on.
Then in the evening, I crossed the street to the Japan Society to hear taiko drummer Kenny Endo, on the subject of whom you’ve heard me before, playing his first-ever gig with shamisen player Agatsuma Hiromitsu, whom I’ve heard play before. (Jazz and funk shamisen, you think anything could keep me away?) Playing separately and together, they were astounding.
So there you have it, what to do in NYC on your day off. Even you who are skeptical on the subject of this city, see why it works for me?
