Three Lives

Your pitch promises an exciting, readable book, but this is much more. Your opening chapter, as Nicholas looks down from the pulpit and sees that he has finally got through to Lisa Sanborne and that she is allowing herself to cry, after eighteen years of stoicism, is moving, deep, and gripping. This, his third life, is the one which, in the end, satisfies him. If the other two lives are as interesting and compelling as this, you have a very special book here. Well written, with characters drawn in depth and with sensitivity. Backed.
Gerry McCullough,
Belfast Girls.

Great opener. I'm pulled to find out how he went from the expectations of ghetto violence to a mature life in the church. Original, thought-provoking, and soulful. Backed. Marianne (Saint Paddy and the Sundial)

I love the opening for this, excellent, especially where she allows herself to think for a moment that sticking it out until the end of the pregnancy makes his leaving her ok. Brilliant characterization. Personally I think she's better off without him. I love the writing and the pace is excellent. Backed with pleasure.

Sandie
The Crown of Crysaldor

Man you can write. This has been beautifully crafted. You have a unique voice and I don't agree that it is slow in the first chapter, I thought the total opposite actually.

Great story and a really good premise sets this book apart from others in this genre.

Happily shelved

Melxx

Backed.

A very realistic and affecting portrait of a pointless and interminable conflict. You write very well, like someone who has been there, seen life stripped to the bare essentials, and had all the bullshit expunged from your system. Good on ya.

Tim Chambers
Moonbeam Highway

This is a masterfully written work. C W

Almost from the start you write with an air of subtle mystery and increasing tension, and the hook at the end is enough to make anyone turn the page.
What more could I ask for?

Backed with pleasure.
Abi xxx

Dear Joe, I love your phrases like "flawless bronze skin" & "most gorgeous thing I've ever seen" & there are so many more. :) Before I began to read your book, I was prepared by your recap/pitch,which was very well done. Your story is good because you create interest by having short paragraphs & lots of dialogue, which makes me want to keep reading to find out what's going to happen next. I'm "backing" your book to help it advance - this will help yours & mine move up on the charts. :) Could you please return the favor by taking a moment to "back" my TWO memoir books, "He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not" & my completed memoir unedited version? "Tell Me True Love Stories," which tells at the end, my illness now & 6th abusive marriage." Thanks, Susie :)
p.s. Remember: Every "backing" you do moves your book & the other person's book closer to the top. :)

For me it's always characterisation that decides whether a book is worth reading or not. I'm afraid I've time to read only two chapters, so I can't really comment about the plot, but if it's anything like your gift for drawing character, it'll be outstanding. Backed. Lynn

Joe -

Fascinating book! What really struck me (and made your book impossible to put down) was the way Nick evolves through his different 'lives', from unsympathetic mc to a character the reader can really care about.

This is a masterful piece of writing, in my mind, one of the best I've run into on Authonomy.

Delighted to back Three Lives, and I would love your comments on my book.

Best of luck with this book.

Thanks.

-Jeff Lee
THE LADIES TEMPERANCE CLUB'S FAREWELL TOUR

Three Lives

What an immense book, this is not only a great story, it is also a very thought provoking one that makes you think and generalise idea’s, my kind of book.
The one thing that really makes this special is the depth of characterisation you build. Great storyline – great book!

Think you might have an error in your pitch? Nicholas=male. last para 'her'! That's how it reads anyway.
Very complicated plotline and as your tabs point out, a unique hero. Every good luck with this.

hullo Joe. This is a good story with flow as it moves into each different chapter, sort of in an introductive manner. Shelved and backed. Please take a look at mine and thanks for that.
Linda Lou Long
Southern dis-Comfort
http://www.authonomy.com/ViewBook.aspx?bookid=11421

Great opener. I'm pulled to find out how he went from the expectations of ghetto violence to a mature life in the church. Original, thought-provoking, and soulful. Backed. Marianne (Saint Paddy and the Sundial)

I love the opening for this, excellent, especially where she allows herself to think for a moment that sticking it out until the end of the pregnancy makes his leaving her ok. Brilliant characterization. Personally I think she's better off without him. I love the writing and the pace is excellent. Backed with pleasure.

Sandie
The Crown of Crysaldor

This is absolutely masterfully written. A superb job. Backed Jedward (Knut)

Your pitch promises an exciting, readable book, but this is much more. Your opening chapter, as Nicholas looks down from the pulpit and sees that he has finally got through to Lisa Sanborne and that she is allowing herself to cry, after eighteen years of stoicism, is moving, deep, and gripping. This, his third life, is the one which, in the end, satisfies him. If the other two lives are as interesting and compelling as this, you have a very special book here. Well written, with characters drawn in depth and with sensitivity. Backed.
Gerry McCullough,
Belfast Girls.

Dear Joe,
What a great premise for a book and your writing style makes it work. Well done. I'll be back for more. Backed with pleasure.

Andrew Burans
The Reluctant Warrior: The Beginning

Joe, insightful, interesting character. Your prose flow easily making this a very enjoyable read. Backed. CW (To Save the Sun)

observantly a very excellent plot and well crafted! backed!

Joe - good job. Watch the 'I was's in the first paragraph, but other than that, I had no problem backing this book. All best with it - Cynthia Drew, Tabernacle

A very intriguing plot and very interesting read. I wish I could spend more time reading, but there is so much to get through. I wish you good luck Joe. Backed earlier.
Norman.

You seem to deliver three very different and interesting lives through the eyes of Nick Gambit. Because you posted intermittent chapters it was hard to grab onto any one plot thread, though all seemed interesting. What was most interesting to me, however, was the point of view. Weather written in first or third person, the action was connected to Nick but most frequently focused on the mindset of another relevant person--Lisa Sanborne and her son Evan; Chelsea; Selena, etc. I guess that's why Nick became a preacher--a caring, universalist nature. Backed
Niobrara Kardnova (The Trouble with Wives)

Hi,

I read the first few chapters of your book and thought it was very well written. Definitely different than a lot of books on this site. That will work in your favor as you continue in your journey. I thought it paced well, and I found that while I didn't totally where I was, I didn't really care. I've taking to reading Authonomy posts as bedtime stories and don't comment as much, but I felt like I enjoyed this enough to let you know. Great job! I'm happy to back.

Tawn Anderson (Providence)

Took a couple chapters to realize exactly where I was, but I like the style and now that I'm in the groove, it flows nicely. Very nice writing.

Shelved.
Dan
Demons and Other Inconveniences

Man you can write. This has been beautifully crafted. You have a unique voice and I don't agree that it is slow in the first chapter, I thought the total opposite actually.

Great story and a really good premise sets this book apart from others in this genre.

Happily shelved

Melxx

Backed with pleasure. I like your writing style and your "voice." The pace could move a bit more quickly in the beginning, but other than that, I don't have anything to suggest. You have a good story here and I wish you much success with it.
All the best,
Judy Adams
The Existence Game

Interesting opening using the MC’s third life to introduce the storyline and in the first person. I thought it was surprisingly effective. In Chapter 2, Chelsea’s description was well done, your voice consistent, albeit we are in her POV. Good hook at the end. The beginning of Chapter 3 was a little confusing until I realized we were back in Kansas (Oz revisited), Nick’s early life. The weakness in the fascination with Raymond Stall’s ‘sex sister’ is Nick professes to have seen her before – ‘once a week for the past couple of weeks’, yet his extremely detailed description earlier gives the impression it’s the first time. It’s not a major issue but it did stop me cold and put my head on rewind. Overall, I enjoyed your writing style and the plot development. Just a few kinks to iron out and this should do very well. Already on my shelf.

HI! This was an exciting read. That and it being a little different from other thrillers out there, make this a winner in my eyes. You've got a great writing style and the fast pace keeps the reader interested. Nicholas is a great main character too, one that people can identify with and want to follow. I enjoyed this! A fun, exciting fit into my dull afternoon.

Missy
Mark of Eternity

This is a good story: fast paced and interesting to read.The mark of it, tho, is the hidden message it conveys: Acts have consequences. Something not to be taken likely as Nicholas learns. A good read. Burgio (Grain of Salt).

Great concept which you portray with natural talent. I wish you the very best of luck with your book. kind regards pinkcoffee 'In The Moment' & 'Chameleon'

Thank you! I'll check out your book soon. Still getting my bearings on the site but it sure is fun already.

Backed with pleasure! Jocelyn E. Morris (A Bore No More)

Backed with pleasure! Jocelyn E. Morris (A Bore No More)

Although the chapters are not presented chronologically - it is obvious that you have spent time and effort and passion in writing this. You certainly are an excellent story teller and have a gift for descriptive narration! BACKED

Liz
The Cheech Room

This is a new concept and I back it for that! Well done. Be sure to read the Ten Scrolls and let me know you thoughts...

Hi Joe, this is immensely readable and well characterized writing. I have backed it and want to comment further, but i find that the apparently random selection of chapters you have chosen to put on site stopped me in my tracks.

The continuity of the plot shattered and i tried guessing where I was and what had transpired to take me to that place.
many reviewers read beyond the first 2 or 3 chapters as I do. i have never come across a random selection before, although I'm sure it must have been done, I've just never seen it done on authonomy.

That would be a major consideration for many people who enjoyed your marvelous writing as I did, and were eager to learn more of the three lives of Nicholas, and how each life came into being.
I have backed this book because it is damned good writing...and i hope that you will accept my concerns in the spirit of helpfullness in which they were offered.
Suzannah Burke
Dudes Down Under.

I read your pitch and first chapter. Though not normally the sort of book I would read, I found this one intriguing. Very well-written, though my advice would be to cut down on the adverbs. This advice was given to me when I first uploaded my work, and when I edited them out, I found that it made a definite improvement.
Overall, I think you have a strong start to what promises to be a very good book. Best of luck to you!
-Libby

Great, great, great story. Anyone who opens this book is going to read this and be instantly familiar with the characters, the setting, the situation, everything. Your pitch could use some work. I don't need to be told that this story could become the new standard. Give us, the readers (on here, authors) what your story is going to be about and let us be the judge. Sell it. Even in your short pitch. It sounds stupid, it sounds cliched, but I think people who are browsing through looking for what to read next are going to see this, see that first line, and possibly move on. I don't want that. You don't want. But enough about that. Onto the story.

First, like I said before, I loved the story. It doesn't apply to just one demographic. Anyone can get into this story.
My only real complaint is there are a couple of times where there are some awkward pronouns.
"He was one of those that walked the line, as they say, patrolling the border..."
"As they say" can probably be cut out without any consequence to the story.
In that same paragraph you say, "As always, they sympathized with these clans..."
Who is 'they?' Is 'they' the US? Or is it Afghanistan?
I know these seem trivial, and inconsequential for the reader, but this actually took me out of the story for a second. It's ok to repeat information if it's necessary. If it's the Afghanistan government, say the Afghanistan government. Or shorten it and say Afghan.

You're going to hear a lot of people on this site say this, but tighten it up. There is a lot (and I really do mean alot) of good things here. Great story, sympathetic and intriguing characters. You just need to cut the fat, so to speak. If you can take it out without it destroying the story or the sentence or its meaning, then get rid of it.

It may seem like I'm a jackass for picking over your work like this, but this is the most I've read from anyone's book in awhile. And certainly the longest and most indepth comment I've written in some time. I want to see this one succeed.