Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Memory's Prisoner by Jamie Lynn Miller: Interview #Review #Giveaway

Memory's Prisoner
by Jamie Lynn Miller

Genre: Contemporary, M/M, Romance
Detectives Mitchell Reid and Joseph Valentino of the Chicago Police Department have finally moved from friends to lovers, partners on the job and off. Then an escaped bank robber with a thirst for vengeance shatters their world. The police tactical raid to recapture the convict goes horribly wrong, leaving Mitch severely wounded and Joey with a devastating head injury. They both survive, but Joey’s long-term coma and memory loss will change their lives—and love—forever.
Thanks so much for having me here today, Carly! 
The other week on my Facebook page I challenged my friends to “Ask Me Anything”. From books and music and television shows to writing and even my personal life. The response was more than I could’ve hoped for! And Carly here was one to throw down the gauntlet and ask me one of the most interesting questions I received: 

“Authors are word-nerds. We love to talk, write, read, write, torment characters, re-write, immerse ourselves into our book worlds, re-write our re-writes... I think you get the point. If you lost your ability to express yourself through words, what form of expression would you choose and why?” 

Wow, great question! At first I was like, “Lose my words?? Now what??” And then I said to myself, “Think of what you do for your day job, Jamie.” Oh yeah! I’m an artist! Been creating things without words for 20 years now. Well, more than that, actually. Since I was a kid and could hold my first crayon. 

So the floodgates opened after that. Painting and drawing came to mind first and foremost. I mean, look all the way back to hieroglyphics – no words, just pictures telling a story. Give me a paintbrush or pencil and let me go to town and tell you a tale. Then there’s sculpting/carving – clay, marble, wood. What statue haven’t you seen that depicts something, tells a story? Along those same lines is another hobby of mine – working with glass. Either cold glass fusion or hot glass blowing. The beautiful pieces you can create to express your thoughts and ideas are endless. Another hobby of mine is photography. Everyone knows the phrase “A picture’s worth a thousand words”. I couldn’t agree more. And then there’s music, too. A song doesn’t have to have lyrics to tell a story. Let’s not forget dance as a form of storytelling, too. Look at ballet for instance. No words, but the performance still tells a story. 

I think if it came down to it and I could only choose one way it would be photography. I’m wildly passionate about it as a form of storytelling. So many endless moments can be captured with the click of a button. 

So while words may be the easiest form of expression, they’re not the only way. If an ability is taken away from you don’t think of it as a loss. Think of it as an opportunity to express yourself in a million different ways instead.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After years of working together as part of Chicago's S.W.A.T. team, Mitch and Joey finally acknowledge their mutual attraction and make their partnership as perfect at home as it is on the job.  Together they are able to fill their down time with much needed love an laughter, but their happiness doesn't last long.

Mitch is able to adapt to his own injuries after a bust goes bad, but Joey's memory loss is heart-breakingly traumatic for him to bear. Unwilling to leave his partner alone, Mitch is determined to stay by Joey's side for as long as it takes.  For him, their love is unforgettable and it is enough to just be close to the beautiful man who holds his heart. After years of waiting for Joey's memories to return, Mitch's love is stronger than ever but his hope is almost gone.

MEMORY'S PRISONER is a well written combination of action, suspense, drama and romance. The chemistry between Joey and Mitch is undeniable, but the challenges their relationship faces are enough to break my heart. I read MEMORY'S PRISONER in a single sitting. Jaime's deeply moving characters and detailed story development simply captured my heart.
View all my reviews
Jamie Lynn Miller has been writing fiction since childhood and decided to take the plunge and go pro in 2008, finding to her amazement that people truly enjoyed her love stories. She’s a romantic at heart, and her tales reflect the desire we all have to find “the one,” persevering through trials and heartache for that happy ending.

Jamie has a degree in fine arts and has spent the last twenty years working as a graphic designer, though she’d much rather be writing. She was born in Chicago and still lives there today with her husband and their two furry, four-footed children, er… cats.

If she’s not brainstorming story ideas, you can find Jamie at a sci-fi convention, in front of a furnace doing glass blowing, or on a mat twisted into a yoga pose

8 comments:

  1. It would be designing something to sew or crochet. Love the post!

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  2. Thank you for the fantastic review, Carly! :-)

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  3. Great interview. This book sounds good. My husband had a stroke and couldn't speak for 2 months. With speech therapy he did regain the ability to talk but has problems with expressive aphasia. Which means he knows what he wants to say but is unable to voice it at times. The funny thing about it was he could sing at least 2 weeks before he could talk. He loves John Denver and he could sing the lyrics to those songs but not talk. The brain is an interesting thing. I, personally would probably do cross stitch. Thanks for the giveaway

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  4. I love painting, I always try to balance with writing. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  5. I'm not super artistic, but I love music; playing and listening to it.

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