Hetley, James A. 1947-

PERSONAL:

Born 1947. Education: University of Michigan, B.Arch., 1970. Hobbies and other interests: Bicycling, cross-country skiing.

ADDRESSES:

Home—ME. Agent—Lucienne Diver, Spectrum Literary Agency, 320 Central Park West, Ste. 1D, New York, NY 10025. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Writer and architect. Has worked as a Kempo karate instructor, electronics instructor, trash collector, and operating engineer in a refrigeration plant. Military service: Served three years in U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.

WRITINGS:

NOVELS

The Summer Country, Ace Books (New York, NY), 2002.

The Winter Oak, Ace Books (New York, NY), 2004.

Dragon's Eye, Ace Books (New York, NY), 2005.

Dragon's Teeth, Ace Books (New York, NY), 2006.

SIDELIGHTS:

James A. Hetley's first novel, The Summer Country, is a fantasy that blends Celtic myth and contemporary realism, set in Maine. Its central character, Maureen Pierce, is an abused girl who discovers that she is one of the "Old Ones," a group of beings who have supernatural powers. The Old Ones eventually bring Maureen to their home in the dark and magical Summer Country, where they want to use her as a breeding partner. With the help of handsome stranger Brian Albion, who had rescued her from an attack, Maureen struggles to resist becoming a pawn in the Old Ones' evil games. Booklist contributor Paula Luedtke hailed the novel as a "beautiful, dark, and gritty" tale that is "a real winner." Noting that the novel "evokes some of the best of Charles de Lint," Michael M. Jones, writing on the Green Man Review Web site, appreciated its complex characterizations as well as its evocative treatment of mythic themes. These mythic elements, however, troubled a writer for Publishers Weekly, who found Hetley's mix of the magical and the postmodern unpleasantly jarring. "Computers and genetics experiments brush shoulders with dragons and curses," the reviewer observed, adding that both worlds are "pointlessly violent." Yet other critics admired the book's exploration of violent themes. "The Summer Country … takes no prisoners in its portrayal of two worlds colliding," wrote Jones. "It's the sort of book that makes me want more of the same. Hell, it's the sort of book that makes me enjoy Celtic myth all over again."

In the sequel to The Summer Country, titled The Winter Oak, Maureen is still living in the mythical and magical realm of the Summer Country while her sister, Jo, has left and is fighting evil forces in the world beyond the Summer Country. Although both sisters have fought mythical demons, they both have their own inner demons to contend with, including Jo's confrontation of her abusive father and Maureen's alcoholism. To complicate matters, the witch Fiona is seeking revenge on both sisters. Jackie Cassada, writing in the Library Journal, called The Winter Oak a "well-written sequel." Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction contributor Charles De Lint wrote: "If you're forearmed with a knowledge of The Summer Country, this new book will prove to be a rich and rewarding experience," adding that "the promise Hetley showed in the first book blossoms fully in this sequel."

In his next two novels, the author continues to set the story in his fictional Maine locale. "Dragon's Eye and Dragon's Teeth run parallel to The Summer Country and The Winter Oak, with a different location and cast of characters," the author told Alisa McCune for an interview on the SF Site Web site. The author also noted: "Think of the second two books as the result of alternate history, with Welsh refugees landing on the Maine coast in the era of Edward I and forming an alliance with the local tribes. Then toss in a line of matriarch witches and a town run by generations of pirates and bring the whole mix down to current times."

In Dragon's Eye, readers are introduced to the Morgan family, who has lived for centuries in the town of Stonefort, Maine, where they use their patriarchal magical powers for shape shifting to work as adventuresome thieves. Daniel, head of the clan, comes to odds with a Peruvian drug lord and a witch who wants to steal the family's magical power, called the Dragon. Soon Daniel has joined forces with Alice Haskell, a witch from a rival clan, to protect both Daniel's family and the town of Stonefort from malevolent magic. A Publishers Weekly contributor noted that the novel has "solid writing, an evocative sense of place and delightful characters." Paula Luedtke, writing in Booklist, noted: "All of Hetley's characters are truly memorable, and he does a seamless job of blending several magical traditions."

Dragon's Teeth finds Dan Morgan and Alice Haskell having won their fight against the evil drug lord and a magician. However, they now face a new evil that they believe is left over from their previous confrontation and is responsible for several dead bodies found throughout the local woods. Policewoman Kate Rowley is upset when one of the victims resembles her dead teenage daughter Jackie, but Alice discovers that Jackie's body has been taken over by an evil force. "The characterizations are quite vivid, and the central conceit solid," noted a Krikus Reviews contributor. A Publishers Weekly reviewer commented that the "fresh, skillful sequel will whet fans' appetites for more magical episodes."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, October 1, 2002, Paula Luedtke, review of The Summer Country, p. 309; November 15, 2004, Paula Luedtke, review of The Winter Oak, p. 571; November 1, 2005, Paula Luedtke, review of Dragon's Eye, p. 32; November 15, 2006, Frieda Murray, review of Dragon's Teeth, p. 38.

Bookwatch, December, 2004, review of The Winter Oak.

Kirkus Reviews, September 15, 2005, review of Dragon's Eye, p. 1005; September 1, 2006, review of Dragon's Teeth, p. 881.

Kliatt, March, 2005, Sherry Hoy, review of The Winter Oak, p. 28.

Library Journal, October 15, 2002, Jackie Cassada, review of The Summer Country, p. 98; October 15, 2004, Jackie Cassada, review of The Winter Oak, p. 57; November 15, 2006, Jackie Cassada, review of Dragon's Teeth, p. 62.

Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, April, 2005, Charles De Lint, review of The Winter Oak, p. 30.

Publishers Weekly, October 7, 2002, review of The Summer Country, p. 57; October 11, 2004, review of The Winter Oak, p. 61; September 19, 2005, review of Dragon's Eye, p. 47; September 11, 2006, review of Dragon's Teeth, p. 39.

ONLINE

Green Man Review,http://www.greenmanreview.com/ (April 2, 2003), Michael M. Jones, review of The Summer Country.

SF Site,http://www.sfsite.com/ (April 2, 2003), William Thompson, review of The Summer Country; (March 10, 2007), Alisa McCune, "A Conversation with James Hetley."