Review and Excerpt: Western Song by Leigh Podgorski
FEATURED BOOK !!
From award winning playwright and screenwriter Leigh Podgorski
WESTERN SONG
Leigh Podgorski
Genre: Contemporary Western Romance
Publisher: Solstice Publishing
Publication Date: June 21, 2017
Publisher: Solstice Publishing
Publication Date: June 21, 2017
As she discovers the true meaning of freedom, he discovers he's lost his heart.
Western Song is a timeless love story filled with rich unique characters played out beneath the wide Wyoming sky about a bull riding rancher and his recently deceased best buddy’s Thai immigrant mail order bride; as she discovers the true power of freedom, he discovers he’s lost his heart.
A moving, thought-provoking read...beautifully written ... Highly recommend for fans of literary Western/romantic fiction...
- Claire Middleton--Goodreads; Barnes & Noble; IndieBook Reviewers
"Western Song" grabbed me from the opening pages and didn't let go until the very end. ... this book could cross genres, not just for fans of the western romance and interracial drama...but for anyone who just likes a moving, beautifully-written, and powerful read!
- Steph Coleman --Goodreads; Barnes & Noble; Indie Book Reviewers
Review
I was pleasantly surprised by Western Song. Actually, I went into this book not expecting much, but I was blown away. Leigh Podgorski totally immersed me in her world, and her vivid descriptions made me feel like I was there in the story. Though, I did feel that some parts could be deleted or be integrated into the scene more subtly, as in the case of background info. Having all that long narration made it feel like info dumping.I love the clever title, and the heroine was such a lovely person, all quiet and strong, yet passionate when it comes to causes near and dear to her heart. I did feel though that her protest that she wasn't Chinese was a bit out of context and illogical. Why the vehemence that she wasn't Chinese? Racial prejudice is racial prejudice, no matter whether you're Chinese or Thai or American. Perhaps if she had lambasted the man for his bigotry, that would've been more appropriate.
With regard to romantic development, I did feel that more scenes where we could see Weston and Song falling for each other is needed. Sure, we see that Weston is having feelings for Song when he acted out of sorts or jealously, but maybe some inner dialogue on his part on this matter, while he was being driven to jealousy for example, would've given the readers insight into his feelings and thus support the later result of him not wanting to let Song go.
That said, Western Song is a lovely book and well worth the read. If a good editor had gotten her hands on this, Western Song would've been phenomenal.
Rating: 4 stars
Excerpt
Wynona’s office was a utilitarian eclectic gathering of office furniture that looked as though it had been culled straight from the local Goodwill. Files and books bulged from every surface. Weston sat in front of the desk with Olive and Zebadiah on each side of him, Zebadiah cradling Cody’s tabby, who already looked as if she’d grown and was contentedly nibbling on his thick, stubby forefinger. Wynona was seated behind her large oak desk, the surface just as cluttered as the rest of her office. Cody’s strongbox, an ordinary grey metal box, sat squarely in the center of Wynona’s desktop, the lock battered and the box sprung open; she’d been unable to locate a key.The four sat in a prolonged, stunned silence. Even Wynona, who was not known much to be at a loss for words, was rendered momentarily speechless.
After a long moment, Weston rose from his chair, walked over to the window, and running his hand through his dark hair, looked out on the street two stories below. After another interminable length of time, when the only sound in the room was the loud and, to Weston’s mind irritating ticking of an antique clock a client had given Wynona in lieu of monetary payment, Weston turned back into the room.
“He was goin’ ta do what?”
Wynona shuffled the sheaf of papers on her desk, and pulled out several sheets from which she had just read. “Get married.”
“And how much money did you say he had stock-piled?”
“Twenty-thousand.”
“Twenty thousand.”
“Twenty-thousand five hundred and sixty-seven...”
“Twenty-thousand five hundred…”
“…and sixty-seven. And ninety-eight cents. In two accounts.”
“Good God almighty…”
“He must’ve been stock-piling those smackers for years...” Zebadiah said.
“While getting you two to pay for everything,” Olive piped in.
The kitten mewled. Weston shot Zebadiah a look that could curdle milk.
Zeb stabbed a piece of paper that looked like a personal letter with his thick forefinger. “This here says she’s coming in tonight.”
Weston sighed.
“Nine o’clock train.” Zebadiah continued.
“Good God almighty.” Weston whistled under his breath as Olive, Zebadiah, and Wynona turned toward him. Weston, feeling their eyes poking holes through his shoulder blades, spun around to face them. “What?”
“Somebody’s got to pick her up.” Olive said.
Unblinking, the four continued to stare at Weston.
Weston closed his eyes, folded his arms, and leaned back against the wall. The antique clock bonged loudly into the silence of the room—bonng, bonng, bonng, bonng, bonng.
“It’s five o’clock now, Wes,” Zeb said.
“I can count, Zebadiah!” He turned to Wynona. “I do not know how you can stand that thing bonging away all day like that!”
Weston pushed off from the wall, and strode towards Wynona’s desk. “There is no picture?”
Wynona shook her head.
“In all that unholy mess you have uncovered there in this here…heap… piled in the middle of your desk…there is not one picture, not one photographic?”
“I’m sorry, Wes.”
“And no name? How can there be no name?”
“He must’ve had another box somewhere. Maybe a safety deposit.”
“That you have not found. In the all the vast reaches of Wild River…”
“Wes…”
“Jus’ how in tarnation am I supposed to even know it’s her?” Weston kicked the back of his empty chair, and stormed back to the window. Nobody spoke. Nobody breathed.
The tabby kitten suddenly wriggled free of Zebadiah and streaked across the office. Reaching Weston, she latched onto his blue-jeaned leg and clamored up it as if he were a Lodge Pole Pine.
“Yow!” Weston howled “Gosh dang! She’s got sharp claws!”
Zebadiah laughed. “I think she likes ya, Wes.”
“Just pick her up, Wes. She won’t bite.” Olive said.
“She don’t need to bite! Not with those sharp claws of hers!”
Wes bent down and plucked the kitten from his calf.
“Hold her into ya, Wes.” Zebadiah directed.
Absently, Weston re-adjusted the kitten, who curled up inside his grasp and purring softly, immediately fell asleep.
“Now ya got it,” Zeb said. “Nice n easy. Just cradle her, like. That’s right.”
Weston turned his stormy eyes on the group. “She’s probably pushing fifty, losing her hair, and has a mouthful of gold teeth!”
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About Leigh Podgorski
Leigh Podgorski is an award winning playwright and screenwriter. Among her favorite projects are a play and documentary on Cahuilla elder Katherine Siva Saubel entitled We Are Still Here and the one-act play Windstorm for which she interviewed Dr. Elisabeth Kubler Ross. Leigh’s novels include The Women Debrowska that is loosely based on her own Polish ancestry, Ouray’s Peak which follows the story of one matriarchal Ute Indian lineage, and the metaphysical mystery series Stone Quest that includes Desert Chimera, Gallows Ascending, and Neuri Shape-Shifter. Several of her theatrical monologues have been published by Meriwether Publishing, Gerald Lee Ratliff, editor. Her newest novel is Western Song published by Solstice Publishing.
Western Song is a timeless love story filled with rich unique characters played out beneath the wide Wyoming sky about a bull riding rancher and his recently deceased best buddy’s Thai immigrant mail order bride; as she learns the true power of freedom, he discovers he’s lost his heart. In addition, Solstice has also published Leigh’s short story The Season of the Neuri Knight, a short story that will be released as a standalone and is currently available in the Anthology Realms of Fantastic Stories Vol2; and the novella My Soul to Take, which will be released on October 31st in the Anthology Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Vol 6 and also as a standalone.
Visit Leigh's works on the Violet Hills Productions website: http://www.violethillsproductions.com
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