Clare T. Walker

review of Startling Figures appears in National Catholic Register

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I got a pleasant surprise today when browsing the National Catholic Register–I came across an article called Familiar Names Appear Among Latest Literary Offerings, a review of books written by Register contributors. Couldn’t help noticing the cover of my short story collection in the image accompanying the piece:

books_by_register_writers_register_book_feature

Sarah Reinhard, author of the article, wrote:

Mostly, I had fun reading these books. They’re curl-up-on-the-couch good, though they’re definitely for adults (or older teens, though I’d recommend you preview them first). My older daughter has aspirations toward veterinary medicine, and I think Walker’s characters will likely appeal to her … but at almost-12, I’m not sure if the nature of these stories (and what I’ve read so far of Keys) is quite appropriate.

Reinhard’s take is spot on: Startling Figures and The Keys of Death are edgy, gritty, realistic, contemporary stories meant for adults and older teen readers. My bad guys are really bad and they do bad things! They say bad words! (Sometimes even the good guys say bad words…). Some situations are intense. Adult relationships are tastefully depicted (nothing explicit) but some parents may prefer that their children be a certain age before reading.

She concludes with this observation:

Walker has taken on suspense/thriller fiction from a Catholic perspective, without watering down the “real” aspect of things.

This is exactly what I was going for in both books. Well done, Sarah, and thanks for your kind assessment!

You can read more from Sarah Reinhard on her blog, Snoring Scholar and at the National Catholic Register.

Here are the URLs in case the links above are broken or go astray:

http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/familiar-names-appear-among-latest-literary-offerings

http://www.ncregister.com/blog/sarah-reinhard

http://www.snoringscholar.com/

http://www.ncregister.com

Startling Figures – excellent reviews!

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People seem to like it! Here’s a sampling of what people are saying on amazon.com

“These are indeed Startling Figures…. all very different with sympathetic characters who find themselves in precarious situations. The endings will surprise and satisfy the reader!”

“Dr. Walker offers a chilling psychological thrill ride through the dark passages of humanity with a redemptive twist … Finishing one tale leaves the reader hungry to start the next. This is a highly recommended, pleasurable read.”

“Chilling and provocative.”

” … if I am spending my time reading I am always looking for a deeper impression and I was not disappointed.”

“Once I started one of the stories, I had to finish because she grabs you on the first page and will not let you go until the end.”

I am so pleased that people are enjoying these stories! I had a blast writing them! If you haven’t read them yet, they are still available at amazon.com in both paperback and Kindle editions.

One more line from a review:

“Here in this trio of tales there be monsters … Oh, now that I have finished Volume 1, can Volume 2 be far behind? I hope not.”

Since you ask — I’ve rummaged through my heap of ideas, and chosen 3 stories for Volume 2. I am in the “plotting” stage now. In case you’re wondering, I sometimes plot with index cards, using 1 card per scene, like they do for movies and TV episodes. Sometimes I plot on an 8.5 x 11 inch sheet of paper divided into quadrants, one for each “act” of the story, with a line or two per scene. Sometimes I plot on the back of an envelope. (I’m not even kidding. That’s how I plotted “Tooth and Nail,” the first story in Startling Figures).

So, I will keep you informed. If you want to keep super up-to-date, fill in the box below with your email address and you’ll be among the first to know!