Another gem from Melinda Haynes. Haynes' writing continues to delight and has matured and improved with each book. As with all great literature, the writing itself is at least as important as the story line. And what a story line it is! These characters draw you in with their raw humanity and hold you there with their quirks and flaws and dreams and charms. That she could create these very real and living characters and have their lives flawlessly intertwine is a real credit to Haynes as a storyteller. As you are reading this book your heart has no doubt that these stories are "true" and that these people have lived and loved and died in towns like this all through the south through all time. We love them and we come from them, and any scholar of the south and of human beings and their stories would do well to read this book. You won't be disappointed, and you will most certainly be enriched. Haynes is a writer whose reputation will only grow with time. You can read her work right now, and I have no doubt that our children and/or grandchildren will be reading her work in college one day.

I just read a strange review of Willem's Field in the Washington Post and wondered if the reviewer had read the same book I did. The first thing she did was type-cast Haynes as a woman's writer. (Her evidence was that Haynes first book was an Oprah selection). After reading my third Haynes book in Willem's Field, I wonder how the reviewer came up with that soubriquet. By her standards Pat Conroy is a military brat writer and Amy Tan is a Chinese immigrant kid's writer. It totally ignores what raises Haynes to the level of outstanding writer. Though Haynes sets her books in the South, I don't find her a genre writer. If she has a genre it is like that of Walker Percy's -- redemption in the face of everyday repression.
One of the worst things that one can do about Willem's Field is to judge it by synopsis as the Post writer did. I don't know any artist who would survive such a judgement; Melville, Faulkner (a frequent victim of the technique in his lifetime) and Twain couldn't survive such a spiritless scrutiny.
Willem's Field is a seductive work. It blends a field (pun accidental)of black humor with a deep introspection. Haynes does it with her greatest gift, her canvas of words. And one of the amazing things is that in situations where you can feel like laughing outloud, but still feel emotionally tied to the characters. Haynes loves all her characters. With one noticeable exception. And she has you grinning with nasty, gloating justice when he meets a gruesome and most unladylike end.
One caveat: Willems Field requires an enjoyment of reading for the sake of reading, with reading being a creative experience of its own. Is is a seductive process. The opening chapter of the book works because she draws the reader into this creation, which sets off a panic attack by an old man whose life is being destroyed by the affliction. It could have been off-putting, but Haynes makes it something special by treating panic disorder that is also a part of her own life with that dark humor. She can be rough and raunchy at times. She writes from life.
I loved the book, and find it the best of her three. There is a growth in her fiction that is delightful.

These people could be my neighbors! Haynes' characters were placed and portrayed in such a way that I felt like I was watching this whole sensitive and serious, yet incredibly humorous story right from a house next door. The Writer has a way of 'curling a statement,' causing me to re-read certain sections for my own pure enjoyment. Willem's Field is a cleverly orchestrated story that left me fervent to find out what outlandish thing would happen next. My favorite chapters were 'Willem and the moles,' which comforted not only an old man in an impossible situation, but me as well; and 'Sonny and Conchita and the tap shoes,' which I dare anyone to read with a straight face. Melinda Haynes has a style I thoroughly enjoy, and she's placed it in a book I couldn't put down. I highly recommend this great read.

Elizabeth Stanton, President of Stanton Financial is sent in to clean up her step mothers small airline business. She comes face to face with two handsome men, her step brother Corbin, who gets in the habit of taking her on some memorable rides and Jay Heath, the very handsome Chief Financial officer of the small airline. While CEO of the airline Corbin has let it sink into the red. His company thinks Elizabeth is there to help him acquire a loan. But Elizabeth and her father, also her business partner, have other plans.

This was my first Haynes romance. I have to say it was a one sitting read. The writing is so well done that the story flowed effortlessly. I think I enjoyed the conversations between Elizabeth and her step brother Corbin the most, but loved the story as a whole and found myself humming, "You're my favorite mis-taa-ake," as I read. A very good passionate romance.

I don't see many romances set in my home state.As an Arizonan, I think the author has everything right--the Colorado River, rafting in the Grand Canyon, everything. Reading this book is like a vacation. The characters are full of life and very interesting. The mystery was a fun twist. I recommend this book to anyone who likes fun, sun, romance--and who would like to learn more about Arizona.

This is a one-sitting read with much humor and excitement. Corbin is a sexy, fun hero I'd like to see more of. I enjoyed the flying sequences and the running the Colorado rapids in the Grand Canyon of Arizona--terribly exciting. The story made me want to visit the American Southwest and do all the exciting (and dangerous) things the heroine did. I do recommend this book to everyone who likes romantic adventure with a good bit of humor.

Martin Everly died of cancer and left his granddaughter, Dorel Everly, a Japanese samurai sword. Dorel is a laid off aeronautical engineer of Boeing and in need of money, so she decides to sell the sword at the gun show.

Michael Gabrielli is a collector of ancient weapons and was a psychic spy of the military. He has been tracking down the sword for a while and when he meets Dorel, he wants both the sword and Dorel.

For eight incarnations, the sword has been passed on to couples that are destined to be the Guardian and the Defender of the sword. Dorel and Michael are the ninth incarnation - Dorel, the Guardian and Michael, the Defender. Dorel knows that both she and Michael will die if they cannot break the cycle of the trust. Dorel must persuade Michael to give up the power of the sword and destroy it to save their lives.

THE ETERNAL TRUST is a paranormal romance full of action, suspense and danger. The story is centered on the battle of good and evil. The power of the sword reflects the ugliness and greed of human beings. Ms Haynes has written an unusual tale with her imagination and knowledge of the Japanese culture.

Courtesy of Love Romances

Dorel Everly has just lost her grandfather and her job... and found a mystery. She receives an unusual package that had been kept by her grandfather for many years, in trust for Dorel. It is a one of a kind samurai sword, ancient and beautiful, that just happens to carry the weight of a curse on all who possess it. She toys with the idea of selling it, convinced such a unique piece of work would be worth more than enough money to finance her; at least until she gets back on her feet. Just as she is about to transfer it in a sale, something indefinable halts her, making Dorel change her mind and keep it. Now... the next cycle in THE ETERNAL TRUST is to begin.

Michael Gabrielli is a former military agent, with special psychic abilities honed in war, where he learned how to control and use them. He is also a collector of Eastern Asia artifacts and fine craftsmanship. When he finds out about Dorel's sword, he wants it. No... he NEEDS it, for he feels it rightfully belongs to him. When Dorel is nearly killed by a madman, also obsessed with the sword, Michael steps in, protecting her and making himself a fixture in her life.

When Dorel and Michael meet, sparks fly from the beginning, and their entwined destinies come full circle. They are the latest reincarnations in a long line of people involved with the sword. Dorel is The Guardian, and Michael, The Defender, and neither can be apart from the sword nor each other without dire consequences.

The sword has a special use; it gives immense power to the possessor, causing many to desire it. It also causes significant personality changes in Michael and Dorel, not for the better, as the ghosts of their past lives come to the forefront and take over their free will. In spite of this, or maybe because of it, their love for each other grows, and brings great danger as well, causing them to doubt everyone they know, not knowing whom to trust. If they do not break their bond to the sword's power, THE ETERNAL TRUST will claim their lives, as it did all their past incarnations.

This was an intriguing story, though slow going in the very beginning. It is a fascinating look at the possibility of past lives and how they affect the present. The lives of Dorel and Michael are often influenced by everything that has come before. The flash backs to their past lives adds an extra dimension to the story, and helps them to understand their current lives.

Ms. Haynes has written well her story, and keeps the reader going, in spite of some rather confusing segments and an ending that is a little bit hard to believe. However, there are so many surprising twists and turns, one can't wait to find out what they mean to the tale... and Dorel's and Michael's lives.

In Seattle, Boeing engineer Dorel Everly is laid off just two days after her beloved grandfather's funeral. Still in shock from the double blows, a monk visits Dorel at her home to give her an enclosed case that her grandfather entrusted to him. Dorel opens the case to see it contains a samurai sword.

Desperate for money, Dorel leans towards selling the sword even if it is her grandfather's legacy. However, pilot Mike Gabrielli traces the sword to Dorel. He wants the sword, but also desires Dorel in his life. She reciprocates his feelings, but others are now aware of where the sword is. These malevolent beings will murder to possess this particular sword that contains special powers. Only if they trust in the love that has a long history well before the incarnation of Mike and Dorel and learn about THE ETERNAL TRUST that bound the sword to them might Mike and Dorel stand a chance to survive.

THE ETERNAL TRUST is a cogent paranormal romance that centers on the battle between good and evil. Though the story line takes some adjustment to the flashbacks and journal entries, readers will find that even using that typically passive technique, the plot is action-packed yet the characters not lost in the focus. Mike is a wonderful hunk who will risk his life for his beloved while the heroine struggles to find her place in the latest war. Melinda Rucker Haynes provides a wonderful journey into a strange world that seems so real due to the author's ability to create quite a tale.

Harriet Klausner

In Seattle Jonathan Spencer senses his brain contains a Grand Canyon of a blank spot that feels as if he lost a major memory. His best friend informs Jonathan that they used to be psychic spies for the Navy when they were SEALs, but their memories were erased except that his buddy insists that he retained total recall. Jonathan cannot accept this weird explanation.

Dr. Rian Farsante offers to help Jonathan deal with his problem including insomnia, but he rejects her overtures although he is immensely attracted to her. Rian likes Jonathan too, but regrets that her assignment is to bring him back into the active world of psychic espionage. As they become acquainted, since she seems to be everywhere, they fall in love. However, even a bond forged through eternity and previous lives together will probably fail, as this couple has to overcome distrust of one another and a powerful enemy.

This exciting romantic fantasy will make believers of readers that reincarnation happens as Melinda Rucker Haynes blends her story line around that theme. The lead couple is a charming duet struggling to overcome her BREACH OF TRUST in their relationship while the support cast augments the depth fans see of the protagonists. Though much of the first half of the plot is domestic establishing the personalities of Jonathan and Rian, sub-genre fans will appreciate this fine tale.

Harriet Klausner

When I saw that Melinda Haynes had come out with a new book, I almost didn't read it. I had tried reading Mother of Pearl and just couldn't get into it at the time. But I saw a copy of Chalktown at the library and decided (since it wouldn't cost anything) to give it a go. I am so glad I did. I was caught up in the story from the beginning and it was all I wanted to read. Even when I was doing other things, my mind kept wandering back to the book and I was itching to pick it back up. I found the writing to be harsh at one moment and then poetic in the next. I found myself wrapped up in several of the characters and couldn't wait to find out what would happen to them. When one thing happens towards the end (I won't say what), I actually yelled out "oh no"!! Now that I have caught on to Melinda Haynes style of writing and story telling, I am going to start reading Mother of Pearl again. I know I will be happy that I did.

The South is known for its incredible women writers - and now, with the publication of Mother of Pearl and Chalktown, Melinda Haynes can be added to that list. Melinda Haynes shouts from the top of a Southern pine with a voice that can, by God, break glass. I've never read anything like Chalktown in my life! I was completely willing to follow Hez and Yallababy to the end of the earth. I can't fathom where in the world Melinda came up with that plot! Chalktown is mysterious, bewildering and surprising. It is also gorgeously written and lavished with the tangled oddities that make the South the South.

Melinda Haynes' new book, Chalktown, fulfills the promise I thought I saw in her first book, the Oprah selection Mother of Pearl: This woman will write a notable literary work. Taking nothing away from Mother of Pearl, which introduced us to Ms. Haynes' ability to lay words before us that freshened our perceptions, Chalktown moves into the realm of allegory with its allusive action, its revelations of what is really important about living, and its unsentimental portrayal of human frailty.

If one expects "the usual" from this book, one will be disappointed. The neat solutions and straw figure characters of most current fiction are not here. Chalktown is no quick read, for one finds oneself stopping to allow oneself the satisfying practice of divergent thinking. The characters and plotlines are not closed loops; the reader finds multiple routes to interpretation and sighs over the surfeit of Ms. Haynes language as well.

This book is one of the worst that I've read! It took me weeks to get through this book (compared to 2-3 days for most books). There is no unifying plot, and the writing is atrocious - the similes and metaphors seem contrived to be original, but convey no meaning. The symbolism too obscure for most readers to understand (e.g. the split pig). Many paragraphs seemed thrown in for no reason. In my opinion, the only part of the book that was interesting was the portrait of the shy, budding relationship between Valuable and Jackson. The book should have ended there. Until the end, it was hard to stay interested in the book, because it was hard to see why there was any point in describing these characters. The character descriptions were not bad, but this book had neither moving plot nor enjoyable prose, and a good book has to have at least one of these to be worthwhile.

This book was a challenge to read. Haynes distinctive way of developing her characters and her long and expressive prose made me want to stop reading and move on to something that was more leisure in style. But I kept on reading. I found the book complex and thought provoking. Not only did I care about the characters but I wanted to know them and understand them in depth - to examine how many of their sides were firing (feelings, sensing, knowing, seeing, hearing and smelling - six sided women). I kept thinking of the dream of the pig and how it revealed itself to Canaan. Ripped down the middle with no insides - like Canaan racially split, a product of the time, and operating at a head level (one sideded). Most of his sides frozen and it was only when he met Grace did he begin to integrate - to make the longest trip in the world - the 18" from his head to his heart.

I finally understood as I kept reading and rereading trying desperately to follow the story and clearly understand each page that the real message for me was not to figure out what Haynes was trying to convey but to understand what the personal message was for me. Reading fiction should be a personal experience - my personal experience. There is not just one message here. Just as in my own personal life so many people, events, and things don't make sense. I often struggle to analyze and reanzlye . I become frustrated, angry and end up giving away my finite life energy to something outside of myself - something that I have no control over. There is a line from the Desiderta which says "no matter whether or not it is clear to you the Universe is unfolding as it should." So in conclusion the book's message to me was: •detach, step back and allow the flow to happen; •observe; •identify which sides are firing or misfiring as the case may be; •identify when I have been in a similar situation (s),how do I misfire? • how do I want to do it differently? • Learn, grown and move on.

I had the wonderful good fortune to receive from an associate, an advance copy of Mother of Pearl by Southern writer, Melinda Haynes.

Ms. Haynes tells the most intriguing story about life in Petal, Mississippi, as lived by characters so full of color, courage and conflict that you will come to love them as much as the author obviously does.

Even Grade - an intense black man whose Mama named him right. Takes you confidently through the whole story, while you admire his strength, smile at his innermost thoughts, and envy his generosity.

Valuable Korner - innocent and vulnerable, but at fifteen already knows more about how life should not be lived than her mother.

Joleb - his first visit with the priest is worth the price of the book! A talented voice from the Deep South has produced the most enjoyable story I have read in years. I hope to hear more from Melinda Haynes.