About
Collin Kelley is the author of the novel, Conquering Venus (2009, Vanilla Heart Publishing), and three poetry collections, After the Poison, Slow To Burn and Better To Travel. His spoken word album, HalfLife Crisis, is available at CD Baby and iTunes. Kelley, a Georgia Author of the Year Award-winner and Pushcart Prize nominee, is also co-editor of the Java Monkey Speaks Poetry Anthology series from Poetry Atlanta Press.
The Daughter of the Sea and the Sky
Description
<p><em style="color:rgb(24,24,24);font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:13.63636302947998px;line-height:17.563634872436523px;">After centuries of religiously motivated war, the world has been split in two. Now the Blessed Lands are ruled by pure faith, while in the Republic, reason is the guiding light—two different realms, kept apart and at peace by a treaty and an ocean.</em><br style="color:rgb(24,24,24);font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:13.63636302947998px;line-height:17.563634872436523px;" /><br style="color:rgb(24,24,24);font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:13.63636302947998px;line-height:17.563634872436523px;" /><span style="color:rgb(24,24,24);font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:13.63636302947998px;line-height:17.563634872436523px;">Children of the Republic, Helena and Jason were inseparable in their youth, until fate sent them down different paths. Grief and duty sidetracked Helena’s plans, and Jason came to detest the hollowness of his ambitions.</span><br style="color:rgb(24,24,24);font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:13.63636302947998px;line-height:17.563634872436523px;" /><br style="color:rgb(24,24,24);font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:13.63636302947998px;line-height:17.563634872436523px;" /><span style="color:rgb(24,24,24);font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:13.63636302947998px;line-height:17.563634872436523px;">These two damaged souls are reunited when a tiny boat from the Blessed Lands crashes onto the rocks near Helena’s home after an impossible journey across the forbidden ocean. On board is a single passenger, a nine-year-old girl named Kailani, who calls herself “the Daughter of the Sea and the Sky.” A new and perilous purpose binds Jason and Helena together again, as they vow to protect the lost innocent from the wrath of the authorities, no matter the risk to their future and freedom.</span><br style="color:rgb(24,24,24);font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:13.63636302947998px;line-height:17.563634872436523px;" /><br style="color:rgb(24,24,24);font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:13.63636302947998px;line-height:17.563634872436523px;" /><span style="color:rgb(24,24,24);font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:13.63636302947998px;line-height:17.563634872436523px;">But is the mysterious child simply a troubled little girl longing to return home? Or is she a powerful prophet sent to unravel the fabric of a godless Republic, as the outlaw leader of an illegal religious sect would have them believe? Whatever the answer, it will change them all forever… and perhaps their world as well.</span></p>
Reviews
<span style="font-family:Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif;font-size:15px;line-height:21px;color:#222222;"></span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">A stunning debut novel. - OutSmart Magazine</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">Unflinching and mysterious, </span></span><em><span style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">Conquering Venus</span></span></em><span style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size:small;"> is that rare combination of poetic and page-turner. – Kate Evans, author of </span></span><em><span style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">For the May Queen</span></span></em><span style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size:small;"></span></span><p></p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">From Memphis to London and to Paris, Collin Kelley takes you on a sometimes frolicsome, sometimes tragic tour of the heart in this engaging first novel. - Gary Zebrun, author of </span></span><em><span style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">Only the Lonely</span></span></em><span style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size:small;"></span></span><p></p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">Conquering Venus – poetic, personal and proud – goes off like a starter's gun to announce a fine new writer of fiction. - Charles McNair, author of </span></span><em><span style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">Land O' Goshen</span></span></em><span style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size:small;"> and </span></span><em><span style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">Paste Magazine </span></span></em><span style="font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size:small;">Book Editor</span></span></div>
