“An Incredible Talent for Existing” A Book Review Times Two

Hello everyone! Are you ready for something very different? I hope so. Crystal Otto, Blog Tour Manager at Wow (Women on Writing), also known as The Muffin. As I first read about Pamela Jane's book, "An Incredible Talent for Existing", I was intrigued and curious. After watching the book trailer (see below), my interest peaked a little more. I wasn't sure if this was my kind of book or not prior to reading it. I shared it with my daughter because I thought she might like it too. Pamela contacted me within a few hours and I looked forward to reading her book and learning more about her adventure. I hope you will take a few moments to learn more about Pamela, her book, and read the review below.

Let me Introduce you to Pamela Jane...

​About the Author:  Pamela Jane has published over twenty-five children’s books with Houghton Mifflin, Atheneum, Simon & Schuster, Penguin-Putnam, and Harper.  Her books include Noelle of the Nutcracker illustrated by Jan Brett, Little Goblins Ten illustrated by NY Times best-selling illustrator, Jane Manning, and Little Elfie One (Harper 2015). Pride and Prejudice and Kitties: A Cat-Lover’s Romp Through Jane Austen’s Classic (Skyhorse) was featured in The Wall Street Journal, BBC America, The Huffington Post, The New York Times Sunday Book Review and The Daily Dot, and has just come out in paper. Pamela Jane has published short stories and essays with The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Antigonish Review, Literary Mama. Pamela Jane is a writer and editor for womensmemoirs.com

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About her book, "An Incredible Talent for Existing"

“An Incredible Talent For Existing: A Writer’s Story” summary: It is 1965, the era of love, light and revolution. While the romantic narrator imagines a bucolic future in an old country house with children running through the dappled sunlight, her husband plots to organize a revolution and fight a guerrilla war in the Catskills.

Their fantasies are on a collision course. The clash of visions turns into an inner war of identities when the author embraces radical feminism; she and her husband are comrades in revolution but combatants in marriage; she is a woman warrior who spends her days sewing long silk dresses reminiscent of a Henry James novel. One half of her isn't speaking to the other half.

And then, just when it seems that things cannot possibly get more explosive, her wilderness cabin burns down and Pamela finds herself left with only the clothes on her back. From her vividly evoked existential childhood ("the only way I would know for sure that I existed was if others lots of others acknowledged it") to writing her first children's book on a sugar high during a glucose tolerance test, Pamela Jane takes the reader along on a highly entertaining personal, political, and psychological adventure.

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A Review or Two...Mother and Daughter Read and Review

Hello everyone, it's another book review for you. My daughter planned to read and review this also but I made a parent's decision and opted to not. Pamela's has a gift to write and express herself. Her authentic sharing of her past and how it molded her into the woman, writer, and author she is today took many turns. 

Through her writing I felt the anticipation, anxiety, pressure, and then the release, calm, and acceptance. Pamela Jane writes in a way that draws her reader in and shares from the depths of the pain and travels experienced in her life time. I found the cover intriguing and was one of the reasons I thought about joining this blog tour. After reading the book, the significance of cabin and "Pamie" posing with confidence, as if walking on air takes on a deeper meaning after reading the book. 

This isn't a book I would typically read or review but with each unexpected turn, God opened my eyes to see there are so many stories waiting to be told within each of us. I admire Pamela Jane's courage to share her life's journey with her readers and all participating on this blog.I don't know anyone with such a energetic and interesting past personally so it was beneficial as I have a new understanding and appreciation when someone says, "life was hard" or "I traveled a lot" and ways I could pray more specifically.

Pamela Jane's gift to write kept me reading yet I must warn you, if you decide to purchase and read this book, there are sexual scenes (I blushed on a couple pages) and language within so this is why I opted not to have my teen read and review. I hope you are disappointed not to read Mag's review but first and foremost, I'm a Mom. 

Thank you Pamela Jane for trusting me to read and review your book.
​Lisa

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Below are Links to Articles about Pamela Jane and her writing

Literary Mama:
 
http://www.literarymama.com/creativenonfiction/archives/2015/10/the-ambivalent-agnostic-an-adoption-story.html
 
Womensmemoirs:
 
http://womensmemoirs.com/memoir-writing-prompts/5-tips-for-getting-your-memoir-published-in-2016/
 
http://womensmemoirs.com/memoir-writing/memoir-writers-take-note-help-i-cant-press-the-send-button/
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A Video Trailer about Pamela Jane's book...

To Read Other Reviews and Pamela Jane's Post on this Tour:

Monday, March 7th  @ The Muffin
Stop by for an interview and book giveaway!
http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/
 
Tuesday, March 8th @ MC Simon Writes
Don’t miss today’s guest post “Likeability: Getting Your Readers to Hang Out with You” and giveaway of the memoir “An Incredible Talent for Existing: A Writer’s Story” by Pamela Jane.
http://www.mcsimonwrites.com/
 
Wednesday, March 9th @ All Things Audry  
Pamela Jane visits All Things Audry today with a guest post “The Light Side: Adding Humor to a Dark Story”. Don’t miss this great post and a giveaway of Pamela’s memoir “An Incredible Talent for Existing: A Writer’s Story”.
http://allthingsaudry.blogspot.com/
 
Thursday, March 10th @ Choices with Madeline Sharples  
Madeline Sharples hosts fellow memoir writer Pamela Jane as Pamela provides today’s guest post: “Trimming the Pie Crust: What to Leave out of Your Memoir”. Don’t miss this insightful post and get in on the giveaway to win your own copy of Pamela Jane’s memoir “An Incredible Talent for Existing: A Writer’s Story”. Good Luck!
http://madelinesharples.com/
 
Friday, March 11th @ Colloquium
Pamela Jane visits the popular blog Colloquium as she answers the question "Writing About Sex: Fade in or Fade Out?" and offers a giveaway of her memoir "An Incredible Talent for Existing: A Writer's Story".
http://www.jhsiess.com/
 
Monday, March 14th @ Mari McCarthy’s Create Write Now
Join Pamela Jane with a guest post titled: Organic Organizing for Writers. In addition to this fabulous guest post, readers can also participate in a giveaway for Pamela Jane's memoir "An Incredible Talent for Existing: A Writer's Story".
http://www.createwritenow.com/
 
Tuesday, March 15th @ Bring On Lemons
Pamela Jane writers today's guest post: Do You Need a Writing Coach? (5 Tips on Finding a Good One). This is fabulous advice you don't want to miss. Once lucky reader will also win a copy in the giveaway for Pamela Jane's memoir "An Incredible Talent for Existing: A Writer's Story"
http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/
 
Tuesday, March 15th @ Lisa Haselton Reviews and Interviews
Don't miss today's interview between Lisa Haselton and Pamela Jane as Pamela gives us some insight into her memoir An Incredible Talent for Existing: A Writer's Story.
http://lisahaseltonsreviewsandinterviews.blogspot.com/
 
Wednesday, March 16th @ Jerry Waxler
Fellow author and memoir expert Jerry Waxler reviews Pamela Jane's "An Incredible Talent for Existing: A Writer's Story"
http://jerrywaxler.com/
 
Thursday, March 17th @ Selling Books with Cathy Stucker
Cathy Stucker interviews Pamela Jane to find our more about Pamela's memoir "An Incredible Talent for Existing: A Writer's Story"
http://www.sellingbooks.com/
 
Friday, March 18th @ Lauren Scharhag
Author Pamela Jane offers a great guest post "A New (and winning) Perspective on Rejection" and has graciously given a copy of her memoir for a giveaway. Don't miss this blog tour stop to find out more about Pamela Jane's memoir "An Incredible Talent for Existing: A Writer's Story".
http://laurenscharhag.blogspot.com/

Thursday, March 24th @ Lisa M Buske
Find out what Lisa M Buske and her daughter have to say about the touching memoir "an Incredible Talent for Existing" by Pamela Jane. http://www.lisambuske.com/
Monday, March 28th @ Sherrey Meyer
Sherrey Meyer reviews Pamela Jane's memoir "An Incredible Talent for Existing"
http://sherreymeyer.com/blog/
 
Tuesday, March 29th @ Linda Appleman Shapiro
Fellow author and memoir writer Linda Appleman Shapiro shares her thoughts as she reviews Pamela Jane's memoir "An Incredible Talent for Existing: A Writer's Story".
http://applemanshapiro.com/
 
Thursday, March 31st @ Karen Jones Gowen
Karen Jones Gowen shares her thoughts after reading "An Incredible Talent for Existing: A Writer's Story" by Pamela Jane. This is one memoir and one memoir review you won't want to miss!
http://karenjonesgowen.com/
 
Friday, April 8th @ Kathleen Pooler
Kathleen Pooler puts Pamela Jane in the author spotlight today as readers learn more about Pamela Jane's memoir "An Incredible Talent for Existing: A Writer's Story". There will also be a giveaway for one lucky reader to receive their own copy of this intriguing book.
http://krpooler.com/

Ways to contact Pamela Jane and learn more:

Websites:

http://www.memoircoaching.com

http://www.pamelajane.com (children’s books)

http://www.prideandprejudiceandkitties.com (humorous book)
 

Facebook:  
https://www.facebook.com/pamela.jane1


On Twitter: 
@memoircoaching
@austencats 

Do you have a question for Pamela Jane? 
If so, ask in a comment below, she will stop by to answer.

Thanks for welcoming her to the blog.