Shanae Branham

While I am writing the second novel in the DiSemblance Series, I will also be writing an ongoing mock daytime television talk show series where my readers can get juicy information about my characters.

In each interview segment of What’s Up with Jayden Weaver, I will either tempt the reader into buying the first book in the series, tantalize the reader about the upcoming book, create a forum where readers can share ideas which could be used in the upcoming book, or give interesting information about where I am in the writing process.

Credit on the acknowledgements page will be given to any readers whose contribution is incorporated in the book.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT!

I had a great time speaking about genres at high Schools in Chicago! The students and teachers were warm and inviting everywhere I went.

YOUNG ADULT FICTION

DiSemblance -4 Four Stars (out of Five)

DiSemblance, by debut author Shanae Branham, chronicles the adventures of a socially inept seventeen-year-old. Jason Tanner—along with his brother, Isaac, and father, Lloyd—has spent most of his life inside his home in the tiny town of Wolf Point, Montana. Jason’s father has spent years inventing and perfecting a virtual-reality machine similar to the one that produces the holodecks on Star Trek. During the time Lloyd was developing the machine, he chose to homeschool Jason and Isaac, not only to protect them from the outside world but also to protect his invention.

When Lloyd unexpectedly disappears, Jason must venture out into the world to recover his father and protect his brother. The neighbor girl that Jason has a crush on, Boston Komen, gets mixed up in the Tanners’ adventures as well, as do the police, who are on the hunt for a serial killer murdering terminally ill patients. Will Jason be able to figure out what is going on and protect those he loves, or will it cost him his life?

The characters of Jason and Isaac are nerdy enough to elicit empathy but cool enough to rise to the occasion, making readers feel like they are rooting for real young men. At an age where many teens attempt to estrange themselves from their guardians, Jason’s love for his father and his motivation to find out what happened to him are particularly refreshing. It is also admirable that Jason wishes to protect his little brother even though Isaac can be bratty and manipulative. The author expertly captures the reality that teenage boys can be mature one moment yet terrified the next.

Branham does a brilliant job creating suspense that is carried throughout the novel. She ramps up the tension by keeping readers guessing over the identities of Jason’s foes and about how Jason’s situation ties in with the hunt for the killer. It is also uncertain whether officers of the law will ultimately be Jason’s allies or enemies. The villains and police officers are multifaceted characters, and readers will keep turning the pages to find out what happens to Jason, his crew, and even these secondary characters. It is a shame, then, that the character of Boston is a one-dimensional, weepy damsel in distress. This might prove to be an annoyance to female readers.

The science of the holodeck is explained in such a believable way that even non-science buffs will be able to easily wrap their heads around it. Several major conveniences do occur during the story. Additionally, characters’ phobias appear and disappear as needed to serve functions of the plot.

Overall, Branham has penned a marvelous, fast-paced thriller, sure to appeal to teen science-fiction aficionados and the uninitiated alike.

Jill Allen

Click Here to Read the Amazon Reviews

Click Here to Read the Goodreads Reviews

1.) August 28, 2012: COURTNEY READS A LOT

…This book kept up a fast pace, and I was never bored. The suspense and action of the book really peaked my interest and kept me reading. There were so many mysteries to solve, and I was eager to have my questions answered.…

2.) August 29, 2012: FOREVER LITERARY

…DiSemblance is a solid story with plenty of action and excitement. Shanae Branham is a budding author to watch, and it will be intriguing to see where she goes next!

3.) September 1, 2012: NICKI J. MARKUS

…I’m glad I did as I found this a well-written and engaging tale that kept me turning the pages so fast that I read the book in a single session. The story is interesting and catchy and the characters, particularly Jason and Bruce, come across well.

4.) September 4, 2012: Reading to Penguins

…If you like the Matrix, or things of that genre, you’ll enjoy this book. It has that ongoing theme of uncertainty, where neither the characters nor the reader know what’s real. The plot is highly engaging and well paced. The murder investigation blends well with the science fiction aspects to create a clever resolution.

5.) September 8, 2012: TALES OF A BOOK ADDICT

…So what does all this rambling have to do with my thoughts on this book? I liked it. A lot, actually. I found it fast paced and engrossing. I would start reading and realize that I had flown through 50 pages before I realized it. I’m definitely glad that Ms. Branham stumbled across my blog and sent me her pitch, I would never have found this book otherwise. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good read. It’s not just for the young adult crowd or the science fiction crowd. It’s definitely a book that will appeal to a wide variety of readers and I highly recommend it.

6.) September 10, 2012: A Bookish Co-Op

…To say we enjoyed this book would fall short of the truth. We freaking loved it and that’s saying something when BOTH of us like it. We can count the number of books we’ve both read on a three-fingered hand (not including the Harry Potter series, that’s just a given). Our reading tastes are just that different. So finding a book that appeals to both of us is a true gem.

7.)  Sunday, September 16, 2012:  Helene’s World of Books

…When I first read the synopsis I liked it. I don’t read many thrillers. I hate gruesome murders and all, so I mostly avoid this genre. But this book sounded interesting and I ended up loving it. There are murders, but they’re not gruesome in the way of much blood and lost limbs. There’s a lot of tension and I just couldn’t put it down. The first 50 pages I read on the train, the other 319 pages I read in one sitting. I just couldn’t put it down.

8.) Wednesday, September 19, 2012: Realms of an Open Mind

There is no denying the unbelievable pace this novel sets for itself. Reader’s are taken right to the middle of the action, which includes the whole murder/mystery aspect I’ve mentioned, leaving you searching to the next pages for more information. Who’s the killer? What does it have to do with Tanner’s invention? What the heck is going on?!?…

9.) Friday, September 23, 2012: Simple Books

I was super excited when the author asked me to review the book! I saw a lot of good reviews on Goodreads and I really liked the book!…

10.) Monday, September 24, 2012: Confessions of an Inner Aspen

…But it did have an exciting plot and was fun to read.  It was suspenseful, the “techno-thriller” element was definitely there, and Branham painted a clear picture in my mind, and I appreciate it when I can see what is happening as I’m reading….

11.) Tuesday, September 25, 2012: Amy’s Book World

Wow. This is a book that gets your brain a working. It’s who done it cat and mouse story that takes you from reality into an alternate world. The author did a great job with this story. It is unique and keeps the reader engrossed from beginning to end. The story is well written and quite a page turner….

12.) Tuesday, September 25, 2012: Lucidity

I’m not an advent science fiction reader, but suspense thriller is one  of my absolute favorite genres. As introduction to either of these genres “Dissemblance” is an excellent addition. The novel is well written….

13.) Thursday, November 1, 2012: Read,Breathe,Read

…The plot was brilliant. Ever once in a while, we would stop and wonder how Shanae was able to come up with such a thing—just the creation of the hologram machine was a quite feat in itself.

14.) Sunday, November 25, 2012: The Y.A. Bookworm Blogger

…DiSemblance was a very different kind of read for me- I haven’t really read anything quite like it before (and I mean that in the best possible way)! It’s almost as if the author took a futuristic-thriller movie and put it into words- making it a great choice for both the guys and the gals! …What was my favorite part about DiSemblance? Definitely the fast pace! Each chapter is fairly short and moves along quickly- adding a unique action element to the entire book that makes it hard to stop reading.  There’s not one dull moment, because there’s always something going on !

I just want to thank everyone for your support!

I am really excited about the cover.

Below I am sharing parts of information from the Editorial Letter for DiSemblance.

1.  ”Overall the manuscript is in good shape. The characters are strong and the plot is perfectly paced. This was an exciting read and a joy to edit.” (Maybe this is bragging, but she said, “An exciting read and a joy to edit! Fun stuff!)

2. “Characterization is one of the strengths in this manuscript. Each character was unique and well depicted.”  …”Placing Bruce and Angela at odds with the case was an excellent choice to deepen the tension between them. Normally, the reader expects the detectives to handle cases in tandem, yet you chose to have them in opposition, to an extent. Nice.”

3.  ”The handling of the story’s plot was one of the strongest points of the manuscript. …You created a novel idea of having a killer who targets terminally ill patients and then leaves them with a paid-for coffin and money for the family. The plot flows beautifully and moves along at an ideal pace. Adding characters (such as Daisy and Patricia) to help move the story along worked very well. The gentle surprises seemed well thought out and added suspense. The side story occurring between Bruce and Lisa was a great choice. It helped break up the intensity of the Comfort Killer case.”

4.   Structure:  ”You created a nice, smooth transition from the chapters with Jason and Isaac, and the ones with Bruce. They were well balanced.”

To be fair–I did need some help. Here are some of the changes I made:

1. “In some places I tightened up the writing a bit.” …”It’s always best to “show” the reader how a character feels or behaves by his or her actions or words. Trust your writing, because it’s good.” (Basically she cut out some phrases I had because I didn’t really need them.)

2.  ”The grammar was in good shape overall. Most of my changes involved comma use.” (I hate commas! Thank goodness for editors!)

3.  ”In addition I made sure that the manuscript follows Chicago Manual of Style guidelines.”

—Valerie, CreateSpace Editor

I took the pictures below with my camera from the pdf document the designer sent me.  My picture taking ability is not the best, but I wanted to get your opinion. Overall, I like both of them about the same.  I like the look of concept one the best, although I like the title and author name of concept two better.

WHICH ONE WOULD YOU CHOOSE?

Concept 1

For concept 1, the designer used an image with a series of mirrors as the main image.  On the mirrors, he placed alternate images of the boy and girl at different angles to give the illusion of a house of mirrors. He wanted the cover to be very intriguing and interesting. For the title treatment he  used an interesting serif font that he felt has a very new age techno feel and placed it on the mirrors. For a more of an interesting edge, he gave the title an illusion that it is distorted over the mirrors as well.

Concept 2

For concept 2, the designer wanted the image to be more abstract to have the viewer try and come up with their own interpretation. He subtly placed images of the boy and girl on the cover, but very screened back so that they would not draw too much attention.

PLEASE LEAVE ME A COMMENT.  I APPRECIATE YOUR OPINION.

My back has finally healed enough so that I haven’t had to see a healthcare professional in 8 weeks. This has given me the extra time and energy I need to finally get back to my career as a writer.

HOORAY!!!!

My husband has generously funded the publishing of my first book, DiSemblance, through Createspace, a publishing company associated with Amazon.com. I am really excited to be taking this step.  Right now I am working with a design team to create a cover for my book. The book should be completed in 8-12 weeks.  I look forward to sharing the process with you over the summer!  While the book is being published, I get to write my next novel.

CLICK TO FOLLOW MY PROGRESS WITH MY NEXT BOOK, FATAL TRYST.