J. G. Sandom ~ Author

DECEMBER 2006

NEW AND NOTEWORTHY

THE UNRESOLVED has been nominated for the 2006 Cybils literary awards.  This follows the book's recent nomination for the 2007 Best Books for Young Adults (BBYA) by the American Library Association.

Thanks to all of you who nominated THE UNRESOLVED!

[Note:  J.G. Sandom writes his young adult novels under the name T.K. Welsh.  Click here for more information.]

EXCERPTS
In anticipation of the republication of GOSPEL TRUTHS on January 30th, 2007, we'll be posting excerpts from the novel over the next few months, through February, 2007.  The fourth post - Gnostic Gospels - is excerpted from Chapter 9.

To view this selection, click here.

READERS' POLL
The results are in for the November, 2006, Readers' Poll, testing your knowledge of GOSPEL TRUTHS.  Wow, I'm impressed.  Everyone got this one on the nose.  The correct answer was, "His shoes."  You must be reading those excerpts!

This month's poll (below, left) once again focuses on GOSPEL TRUTHS.  (Check the excerpts for clues!)

To view previous polls, click here.

REVIEWS (Excerpted in October)

THE UNRESOLVED -- Editorial Reviews

Historical Novels Review
"This spellbinding young adult novel, based on a true story, overwhelms the reader with the tragic loss of so many lives and the sudden end to the promising life of one young girl. She tells her story without looking through rose-colored glasses and confronts the truths even when they hurt. Mallory will haunt you, just as she does those she leaves behind."

School Library Journal
Hot Picks, Starred Reviews

Library Thing; Ranking:  * * * *
"I picked this one up because I love history and I love ghost stories, and this is both. I admit, I was also curious to see if (Sandom) could pull off what Katharine Weber couldn't in Triangle -- successfully combining authentic NYC history with a story that appeals to teens. I think (Sandom) has succeeded admirably here."

BookLoons Reviews, November, 2006
"...tells the tale from an interesting perspective. (The) writing is fresh and vivid...The Unresolved is a tale of love, corruption, and revenge - which in the end is always a good combination."

RESURRECTION MEN -- Reader Reviews

Colleen Mondor @ Chasing Ray, November 26, 2006
RESURRECTION MEN: It's London in the 1830s and children are dying because "fresh subjects" are worth good money. "In this dark underworld, Victor must uncover the identity of the ghoulish murderer who is at the heart of London's furtive trade in human corpses." Creepy and historical - I'm looking forward to it.

For the full text of the Reviews, click here.

For more on THE UNRESOLVED, and the other works of T.K. Welsh, click here.

NOVEMBER, 2006, READERS' POLL

The results are in for the November, 2006, Readers' Poll.  Excellent work, everyone.  You must be reading those excerpts!  The correct answer was, "His shoes."

By what did Lyman recognize the killer who fell from the balcony of the Hotel de la Paix?

0.0% The scar on his face. 0.0% His suit. 0.0% The timbre of his scream. 0.0% His brand of gun. 100.0% His shoes.

www.jgsandom.com

GOSPEL TRUTHS - December 2006 Excerpt

In anticipation of the republication of GOSPEL TRUTHS, we will be posting excerpts from the novel over the next few months.

The fourth post -- Gnostic Gospels -- is excerpted from Chapter 9.

To view this selection, click here.

KISS ME, I'M DEAD

Children and Books, December, 2006

"Our Teen Advisory Board mentioned that they would like to see more historical fiction, and this book is an excellent example of the genre. The story centers on the 1904 New York City General Slocum steamship fire that killed 1000 people, and (Sandom) imagines the ghost of one of the victims witnessing the trial of her young boyfriend who is accused of setting the fire."

What do you think of this review?  Click on Comments, below.

To order your copy, click here!

KISS ME, I'M DEAD

Cricket in the Corner, December, 2006

"This outstanding novel grips immediately and doesn’t let go easily. Its 15-year-old protagonist, Mallory Meer, is dead -- the victim of a steamship disaster that actually happened in 1904, on a hot summer day in Manhattan. A blaze erupts aboard the General Slocum, and Mallory is among the more than 1000 killed. That her Jewish boyfriend is blamed for tossing the cigarette that sparked the fire drives one of the story’s major themes: the virulence of blind prejudice.

"'My skirt began to suck me down. The water was my outer skin. I could feel it crushing me as the ship slipped under the waves. I was trapped. I could not move. Dustin was gone. I was alone, save for the other figures waving in the currents, grist for the running tide. I let the water in, then. Into my mouth and nose. Into my lungs. I let it take me, like a lover, like Dustin wanted to, and should have done. Before. I let the river fill me up.'

"Expect your young reader to be glued to this one to its shivery, satisfying ending. An artful mix of history (with vivid details of immigrant life), romance, corruption, revenge, and the supernatural, this skillfully woven tale offers a rich and deeply affecting journey. Don’t miss this one."

What do you think of this review?  Click on Comments, below.

To order your copy, click here!