BOOK BLAST: Pieces of Autumn by Mara Black

 

Title:  Pieces of Autumn

Author:   Mara Black
Genre:  Dark Romance 18 +
Publish Date:   July 31, 2014
Publisher:  Indie Published
Event organized by: Literati Author Services, Inc.

~ Book Synopsis ~

I wish I could tell you that I was stolen.

Kidnapped off the street in some third-world country, sold against my will, while a desperate family back home waited and prayed and talked about me on the news.

I wish I could tell you that, because then you might understand.

What really happened? I walked to my fate with my eyes wide open. But before you say I deserved whatever happened to me, you should know. I was desperate. I was alone. I was afraid for my life. You would have done the same thing.

I thought things couldn’t possibly get any worse.

But then, I woke up in darkness, unable to move. There was only one thing I was sure of: I wasn’t alone anymore.

And then I heard HIS voice…

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About the Author

Mara Black is a connoisseur of love that lurks in the shadows .

Love Among the Ruins: Pop culture allusions in Pieces of Autumn

My name’s Mara, and I have a problem.

I can’t help referencing pop culture in my books. Pieces of Autumn is no different, and I drew on a few different motifs that spoke to me while I was writing. You can figure out what they are with a little judicious Googling, but just in case you’re curious, here’s a breakdown of the biggest references in the book.

“The Circle Game”

Tate hums this Joni Mitchell song to Autumn during her fever dreams. It makes a good lullaby, and I decided Tate’s mother had probably sung it to him, just like mine did for me. Originally it was a purely sentimental choice, but I was surprised to realized how well it fit with the theme. The song’s refrain is all about how you can’t change the past - something that both Autumn and Tate struggle with.

“One Tin Soldier”

Once again, Tate’s propensity for ‘60s ballads comes out in this one from The Original Caste. It also reminds me of my own childhood, and the sorts of comforting songs you learn from your parents. As they discuss in the scene, this is a story-song about a mysterious “treasure” that is coveted by a rival kingdom. After killing the rightful owners of the treasure, they discover it’s not a pile of gold like they imagined, but instead a message: “peace on earth.” The chorus wryly tells us to go ahead and hate our neighbors, cheat our friends, and justify it in the name of heaven - but in the end, there’s no judgment day except the one we make for ourselves. I think Tate connects deeply with the message of this song, although he finds it difficult to live by. (As do we all…)

Love Among the Ruins

This is the most obscure reference, and thereby my personal favorite. ;) There’s a little-known TV movie called Love Among the Ruins, starring Laurence Olivier and Katherine Hepburn as star-crossed lovers who parted in their youth and never spoke again. Now, decades later, she’s back in his life, but only because he’s a powerful lawyer and she needs someone to defend her in court…against an accusation of “breach of promise.” (Which thankfully, no longer exists as a legal concept - but the supreme irony of the situation is that was exactly what she did to Mr. Olivier, when she disappeared without a trace after promising to marry him.) When someone asks her why she won’t apologize, Ms. Hepburn says: “When did sorry ever mend a harm?” I was very taken with the idea that Tate found this to be a formative moment, although he doesn’t remember the rest of the movie. (If you can get ahold of it to watch, by the way, I highly recommend it!)