Kirkus Reviews Quotes & Sayings

... Wickard's novel colorfully illuminates the two sychronized protagonists, each displaying profound characteristics: Sami has trouble adjusting to her new life and Smitty balances his secret life with his normal one, with a (living) wife and infant daughter at home...

... assertive characters with distinct backgrounds provide a solid fountaion for the story of a killer on the hunt."

Kirkus Review February 24, 2012 — Douglas Wickard

Guilt and Regret always pulls one down.
They have an impact like that of gravity.
They heavy you like few tons of concrete,
Therefore,
Instead of growing, moving on and learning from your mistakes,
You will wine and dine with Would Have's and Could Have's. — Nomthandazo Tsembeni

Given the typical fee structures of hedge funds, they need to do something different to make money in a consistent way. — Paul Singer

~EDITORIAL REVIEW~
" ... Wickard will have readers on edge ..."
" ... a methodical, white-knuckled grip of the throat, the tension getting tighter."
"A leisurely paced but ultimately rewarding, riveting thriller." — Douglas Wickard

What are you working on?" "I'm trying to set up a store to sell baskets of none-of-your-fucking-business at wholesale prices. — Steven Brust

On a breath, he leaned forward. It was such a small space to close. Such an infinite distance to cross. — Meredith Duran

Are you going to dance with me tonight?" I ask.
"Hell, yeah."
"Colin never wanted to dance with me."
"I'm not Colin, querida, and never will be."
"Good. I've got you, Alex. I realize it's all I need and I'm ready to share it with the world."
Inside the club, Alex immediately heads for the dance floor with me. I ignore the gawking stares from Fairfield students from my side of town as I pull Alex close to me and we move as one to the beat.
We move together as if we've been a couple forever, every movement in sync with each other. For the first time I'm not afraid of what people think of me and Alex together. Next year, in college, it won't matter who came from what side of town. — Simone Elkeles

Why is the word yes so brief?
it should be
the longest,
the hardest,
so that you could not decide in an instant to say it,
so that upon reflection you could stop
in the middle of saying it. — Vera Pavlova

This man was gorgeous. Six feet of pure man, with ripples in his stomach to define his abs, hair glistening like he just stepped out of the shower, big hands, big feet, and a nine-inch Italian sausage to go with it. Paul had said something, but Vanity hadn't heard him. "What? Huh?" she asked. "I said, am I free to please you now? — Dolyn Keys

A spectacular novel of colonial China that should put this first-time author on the map." - Kirkus Reviews — Milena Banks

Future is mobile computing - smartphones and tablets are just elements of it. The industry is on the verge of a whole new paradigm. — Thorsten Heins

I know I should try harder to make her feel necessary in my life. It totally freaked her when I said I didn't need her anymore. But isn't that the whole point of growing up? A healthy bird can fly the nest? Roots and wings and all that Hallmarky crap? — Kate Klise

The belief in authority is the source of conscience; which is therefore not the voice of God in the heart of man, but the voice of some men in man. — Friedrich Nietzsche

They sat like this for a long, long time. Until the air grew cold and the stone tiles icy, and until Dan's body protested with stiffness and increasing aches. Sitting, in silence, just holding, and unable to make sence, when the only thing that made sense was the touch. — Aleksandr Voinov

The experience of the next life is too far away to really be concerned with. It will be an outgrowth of this incarnation and what happens between birth and death. — Frederick Lenz

Dear God,
what is my purpose of life?
What should I do to find it?
Once I found it, will I become stronger?
... Oh no, my mind is blank.
a strange sound kept ringing in my head.
What sound is that ... ?
Ah, I know.
It's ...
The sound of emptiness. — Chica Umino

Ciabattari is a master of transformation as she gives these stories of loss, woe, crisis and collapse the salutary and sometimes bracing pleasures of plain good fiction.
Kirkus Reviews — Jane Ciabattari

Material Witness - book 1 (**Named one of Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2012) Nothing But Trouble (Contemporary Western Romance) — Lisa Mondello

WAKE
Dealing with an alcoholic single mother and endless hours of working at Heather Nursing Home to raise money for college, high-school senior Janie Hannagan doesn't need more problems. But inexplicably, since she was eight years old, she has been pulled in to people's dreams, witnessing their recurring fears, fantasies and secrets. Through Miss Stubin at Heather Home, Janie discovers that she is a dream catcher with the ability to help others resolve their haunting dreams. After taking an interest in former bad boy Cabel, she must distinguish between the monster she sees in his nightmares and her romantic feelings for him. And when she learns more about Cabel's covert identity, Janie just may be able to use her special dream powers to help solve crimes in a suspense-building ending with potential for a sequel. McMann lures teens in by piquing their interest in the mysteries of the unknown, and keeps them with quick-paced, gripping narration and supportive characters. — Lisa McMann

But this month is all about CITY OF JASMINE which I hope you already have in your hot little hands. My favorite review snippet? KIRKUS REVIEWS said it's "part screwball comedy".
I can't tell you how much time I spent with Carole Lombard and William Powell and Irene Dunne when I was writing it. I adore the 30s comedies for their light-hearted take on relationships and adventure - and the glamorous settings and occasional dash of intrigue only heighten the magic. (Did you know that Nicholas Brisbane from my Lady Julia series was named for THE THIN MAN's Nick Charles? And apologies to Dashiell Hammett, but I fell in love with the film long before I read the book and appreciated how much it had been lightened in the adaptation!) So when you're reading CITY OF JASMINE, give some thought to who you'd like to see playing Evie and Gabriel - I'd love to hear who you'd cast in your own production. — Deanna Raybourn