SUMMARY : When her mother AnnMarie mysteriously vanishes from the small town of Plains, Montana, 12yr old Lucky Bird's childhood comes to an abrupt end. Left alone to defend herself against her suddenly abusive grandmother Marian Bird, and forced to endure the twisted predatory game played by Marian's lover Tom Cressfield, Lucky's life soon descends into a nightmare.
Even when she manages to escape, the outside world can't take away the brutal images of her past. Still haunted by her mother's disappearance and the trauma that followed, Lucky is easily led down a path of self-destruction, a path that only the intervention of a handsome young stranger and his family seems to offer any hope of guiding her away from. But first, she will have to confront her demons, and the dark truths that they kept hidden...
The literary debut of brilliant new author Fleur Philips, MFA Creative Writing student at Antioch University Los Angeles, I Am Lucky Bird is an intensely gripping, heart-wrenching novel, telling the tale of Lucky Bird through her suffering, her long, hard-fought struggle against strife and adversity- and, in its breath-taking climax, of Lucky Bird's inspirational triumph, as she finally uncovers the sinister secrets behind it all...
Even when she manages to escape, the outside world can't take away the brutal images of her past. Still haunted by her mother's disappearance and the trauma that followed, Lucky is easily led down a path of self-destruction, a path that only the intervention of a handsome young stranger and his family seems to offer any hope of guiding her away from. But first, she will have to confront her demons, and the dark truths that they kept hidden...
The literary debut of brilliant new author Fleur Philips, MFA Creative Writing student at Antioch University Los Angeles, I Am Lucky Bird is an intensely gripping, heart-wrenching novel, telling the tale of Lucky Bird through her suffering, her long, hard-fought struggle against strife and adversity- and, in its breath-taking climax, of Lucky Bird's inspirational triumph, as she finally uncovers the sinister secrets behind it all...
PARTICULARS OF THE BOOK :
Published by: New Dawn Publishers Ltd.
Pages: 273
Genre: General Fiction
Author: Fleur Philips
Awards: ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year Finalist
A BIT ABOUT THE AUTHOR :
Fleur Philips is a 1998 graduate of the University of Montana with a BA in English. She also studied Journalism and Creative Writing at the University of Oregon from 1992 to 1995. In 1994, she was awarded placement in the Kidd Tutorial Creative Writing Program at U of O directed by Mr. Chang Rae-Lee. But her passion for writing began years before when she won an all-school writing contest in third grade that put her first book, Misty's Adventure, on the school library shelf for all of her fellow classmates to read. In 2001, Fleur moved to Los Angeles, CA. She is currently pursuing her MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University in LA She lives in Sherman Oaks with her 11 yr. old son, Jacob, and her boyfriend, Kevin.
THE BOOKISH LIBRARIA IS PLEASED TO WELCOME MS PHILIPS WITH THIS GUEST POST :
Thank you for joining us today, Fleur.
What inspired you to write I Am Lucky Bird?
I don’t know exactly where the idea for I Am Lucky Bird came from. Lucky’s story is tragic, her journey heartbreaking. I have nothing in common with her. I grew up in a middle-to-upper class family on the shores of Flathead Lake in Northwest Montana. I have two loving parents and three brothers (all who are alive and thriving). We’re a very close-knit family. I have lived a wonderful life. Even my divorce was easy—my ex and I are great friends, and we continue to raise our son together, although we’re apart. I tend to gravitate to the unknown, toward stories that are not my own—mine is boring. I want to experience the tragedies I’ve managed to escape throughout my life. Why? I don’t know. But I’m a sucker for sad movies—Terms of Endearment, Steel Magnolias, My Sister’s Keeper. I feel a need to connect with my characters because, in a way, I want to help them. I want to give them hope and let them see that life can be good. I feel like a guardian when I write—I can create an unfathomable situation, but in the end, can turn it into something magnificent. And this gives me strength.
What do you believe are the most important things an author should consider before writing a book?
I’m a firm believer in writing what’s in your heart. The only downside to this is the realization that what’s in your heart might not necessarily be what other people want to read. If you just want to write a book to write a book, great. But if your #1 goal is to find a publisher, you have to consider whether your story is marketable. If an agent and/or publisher can’t sell your book (no matter how much they might like it), they won’t waste their time.
Although writing has always come easily to me, actually finishing a novel is one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done. For anyone thinking of writing a book, I highly suggest developing an outline with chapter summaries and character sheets. I have hundreds of ideas floating around inside my head, but most of them are incomplete. If I try and sit down and start typing out my ideas, they fall short because I haven’t fully developed the characters or plot or structure. Start with the outline, and then tackle the novel!
Fleur Philips is a Communications Consultant with a BA in English from the University of Montana and is pursuing her MFA in Creative Writing at Antioch University in Los Angeles.
THE DAME'S REVIEW :
Just briefly I want to say that "I Am Lucky Bird" is one of the most stunning and visceral books I've read on child abuse this last decade. It is so brilliantly and beautifully written I found myself holding my breath through many of the passages. While the author takes on a difficult topic, the writing is so compelling the pages just slipped past me. I found myself caring for Lucky Bird and being reluctant to leave her.
Fleur Philips easily captures the essence of childhood, the terrors of being small and defenseless in a nightmarish world of adult alcoholics, the destruction of rape and abandonment, as well as the deep injury of a primary lack of love and early nurturing. I was mesmerized by this book. Held my breath many times over as I read passages that cut to the depths of my psyche. This author knows how to convey emotions and feelings through her characters.
Lucky Bird, a foundling who wasn't even given a decent name, is a child bare emotionally as an open wound...vulnerable and neglected when she isn't being battered. She remains that way into early adulthood until love finally finds her and builds her up... Striking stuff to read. Strong imagery with an equally strong message about the power of life's lessons.
We may not have heard of Fleur Philips on a wide scale at the moment, but look out world! She is a force to be reckoned with in the writing fringes as she obviously is continuing to build her arsenal. This author will be one of the players on the big stage at some point, I have no doubt. Her grasp of plot, characterization, mood and storytelling are strong. She is an excellent writer. I can't wait to read her next book.
I highly recommend "I Am Lucky Bird" to all of my readers. Please find your copy on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
5 stars Deborah/TheBookishDame
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