Summary: Jennifer Campbell is a beautiful, talented woman with ambition and drive to succeed in corporate America. Moving to Virginia into the tightly knit community of Norfolk was a dream come true, with a house on the beach, family and security for the first time in many years providing the comfort and serenity Jennifer had searched for.
All is well, until the fateful day Jennifer received a telephone call. “Jennifer, go someplace and hide; don’t trust anyone. You can’t trust the police or internal affairs. Just go somewhere you can’t be found. I’ll call you in a few hours.” -- publish america
I decided to read EMBITTERED JUSTICE by Michaela Riley for two main reasons: I thought the concept of the book sounded interesting, and it meets the criteria for The Novella Challenge. This books deals with a woman who is basically framed and faces a nightmare situation within the court system. It is evident from the outset that the author is extremely passionate about the subject matter.
I read Ms. Riley's bio and I have a feeling that the character of Jennifer is actually based on her real life experiences. The book is considered a fictional story, but it almost reads like an account of what actually took place in someone's life. Having said that, I would be amazed if everything that happened to the book's main character could really happen to Ms. Riley. But some people say that truth is stranger than fiction.
One interesting part of the book was Jennifer's faith in God. Throughout the story, she prayed to him to help her get through this ordeal. I liked that she was able to gather strength in her beliefs; and that she was able to hear God's messages through the people that she encountered. Ms. Riley concludes the book with a very pertinent bible verse: "The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still." - Exodus 14:14
While I'm sure that there will be a lot of controversy surrounding her story and her views on the court system, I think the reader can take away a good message from this book. If you put your faith in God and stay true to yourself, things will ultimately work out for you.
REVIEWS AND INTERVIEWS
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MICHAELA RILEY'S SUCCESSFUL NOVEL: EMBITTERED JUSTICE NEWS AND EVENTS: MICHAELA RILEY'S SUCCESSFUL NOVEL: EMBITTERED JUSTICE |
| By Marisa Darnel |
Michaela Riley, with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing and a degree in Master of Business Administration, became an entrepreneur who opened her own Professional Development company. However, some issues in her life took her to court where she experienced the avatars of having her destiny in the hands of "justice" and where she also witnessed some other people's situations. Everything seemed very unstable, unsafe, malicious and unfair to her. The situations and the bargains inside the Court revealed an unknown world to Riley which is far from the idea anyone can have of criminal justice. Michaela, who had always been an avid reader, felt the urge to write for the first time in her life. She felt the need to tell everything she experienced, witnessed and heard in Court so people could know about it. She then wrote a fiction novel inspired by real facts: Embittered Justice, which tells the story of Jennifer Campbell, a woman whose perfect life was changed unexpectedly and tragically without being guilty of any criminal action. Jennifer is a beautiful, talented woman who has the ambition and the drive to succeed in corporate America. Moving to Virginia into the tightly knit community of Norfolk was a dream come true for her. At that time in her life, she could accomplished many important things in her career and in her personal life, such as a house on the beach, family and security for the first time in many years, providing the comfort and serenity that Jennifer had always searched for. All was well, until the fateful day Jennifer received an unexpected parcel at her door and a telephone call at the same time, saying: "Jennifer, go someplace and hide; don't trust anyone. You can't trust the police or internal affairs. Just go somewhere that you can't be found. I'll call you in a few hours." Embittered Justice is a story that will trap you to the very last chapter. It's a novel that will make you think about what could happen if everything in your life was changed by something that makes you guilty of a felony you never committed? And what if you found yourself in court, where you are coerced into accepting a plea agreement to end the uncertainty you faced? Would you admit to something you new was untrue to prevent a prison sentence? Michaela Riley received excellent reviews of her novel and now she is working on other 2 fiction novels. Here below is our conversation with Riley about the novel and about her new writing career. You were at the Army serving your country and worked as a Nurse for many years. You also opened your own Professional Development Company. What was your experience in those professions? Your College studies were science and Business Administration. You also study to be a Nurse. How did the vocation to write start? Michaela, you told us that you had the inspiration to write Embittered Justice while attending a trial at a local court room. Tell me about that. What were your challenges in writing? How and where did you do research to carry on the story? For more information about Michaela Riley please visit http://www.michaelariley.com.
|
 WOW!,
Publish America, 2007 1-4241-9767-8 5 Stars WOW! Occasionally, a book comes along that grabs your attention and will not let go. Embittered Justice is one of those books. When I started reading Embittered Justice, I truly thought it was a true story or inspired by an actual event. After checking, I discovered it was completely fiction. Few authors have the talent to make a story seem so real. Jennifer buys a house and has a problem getting the former owners to move out. The older couple are very unreasonable and friends of the police. She should have met the neighbors before buying the house. The neighbors were not "neighborly." The former owners and neighbors acted as though she had taken the house away from them instead of buying it. Shortly after moving in, a box was left on her doorstep. It did not have her name on it, but it did have her address. Of course, she opened the box. Who has not opened mail that has delivered to their house--sometimes by accident and sometimes out of curiosity? Soon she was charged with theft. Embittered Justice is a highly charged story. The plot and characters were well-developed. Jennifer reacted and took some bad advice. Her character was highly emotional and multidimensional. When she and Michael went climbing, I feared for her life. I did not trust him. You can tell I became very involved in this story. The lawyers and law enforcement people were all unreasonable and dishonest. If you like high drama, you will love Embittered Justice. |
22 Apr 2008 09:09 PM
Posted on May 26, 2008 from http://amateurdelivre.wordpress.com/
http://amateurdelivre.wordpress.com/2008/05/26/embittered-justice-by-michaela-riley/
Embittered Justice by Michaela Riley
Jennifer thinks she has it all, a new fiance, a house on the beach, and a new career. Sure, the house needs a little TLC, and the previous owners have caused her nothing but grief (to say the least) but she is finally able to start her new life. That is, until a UPS package arrives on her doorstep. After opening it, and seeing that it is filled with guns, she is riddled with doubt on what she should do. Contact ATF? Contact the police? After conferring with her fiance, he tells her to just sit tight and wait for the rightful owner to claim it. Seeing as how she has no experience in these types of things, she takes his advice and sits tight. But, why would the homes previous owner be receiving guns at his old address? And why did he refuse the shipment when it was delivered to his new home in California? Just to set her up for a major headache?
What ensues is terrifying to say the least. You just have to read this one to find out all of the gory details, but let’s just say you may be leary about opening letters or packages that you aren’t expecting, you just never know what path they may lead to.
Michaela Riley has written a legal thriller that is able to keep the reader on the edge of their seat, waiting to find out which additional twist is waiting for poor Jennifer, the innocent victim in all of this. Unfortunately, I do believe that the events in this book, although fictional, could very easily happen. Clients are misrepresented in the legal system all the time, and plea deals are reached in which innocent people are too afraid to stand trial, and instead plead guilty to crimes they didn’t commit in hopes of receiving a reduced sentence.
http://amateurdelivre.wordpress.com/2008/05/26/embittered-justice-by-michaela-riley/
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Author Interview -- Michaela Riley
by Tristi Pinkston | More from this Blogger
Yesterday I reviewed a book entitled "Embittered Justice." Today we are joined by the author of that book, Michaela Riley. Michaela, thank you for being here with us today.
Your new book "Embittered Justice" is the story of a woman who is put on trial for something she did not do. How did you arrive at the idea for this plot, and how did you tap into those feelings of betrayal?
Writing my first book "Embittered Justice" was what some would call a labor of love. Inspiration for the book started when I had the personal misfortune of spending time in a court room. I listened carefully as cases were presented and the fates of defendants were left in the hands of the defense, prosecution and a judge. The types of cases were diverse but the single common element was about making a deal or plea agreement. I watched in horror as the conversations in the hallway were whispered about what a defendant would accept and how lives would be changed forever. It didn't seem to matter what the elements of the cases were; only that the outcome was based on the networking experience of the attorney. The secretive proceedings would cast doubt in my mind on the legitimacy of the system that had no respect for the defendant, innocent or guilty. Legal or administrative bodies with strict ruling and secretive proceedings metaphorically are sometimes called star chambers. This term is intended to cast doubt on the legitimacy of proceedings in the judicial system. The feelings of betrayal are common with defendants that feel they have been wrongly accused and are left with spending thousands of dollars just to get an attorney to listen to them. "Embittered Justice" is inspired by actual events of an innocent woman's fight to tell her story about wrongful and malicious prosecution. She was told numerous times over the course of two years that she had a strong case for malicious prosecution but no one attorney would take the case. Their response was always, "We have to work with people everyday and we would be committing professional suicide."
Wow How long have you been writing, and what other books have you written?
I started writing in college about eighteen years ago as a requirement for my nursing degree. I had never seriously considered writing before that time although it was always a dream. Most of my professional writing has been work related such as technical writing, business plans and research papers. "Embittered Justice" is the first book in a series. The second book will be completed by fall of 2008.
Who are your favorite authors?
Nicholas Sparks and James Patterson are my favorite authors today.
What is your writing schedule like?
My writing schedule is not really a schedule at all. I always have a note pad with me to write down ideas as they come to me. I try to write at least several hours every day. I find that completing an outline of the story and chapters gives me an organized place to start. Then I can fill in the outline with research about the subject. I seem to write the most at night when everyone else is asleep.
Do you find it difficult to balance writing with the other aspects of your life?
Yes there are many days when writing late at night is the only time I have available. My family and friends are supportive but really don't understand how much time is involved with writing and promoting a book. The balance between work, home, school and writing is difficult at times but definitely worth the challenge.
Thank you for joining us, Michaela!
http://media.families.com/blog/author-interview-michaela-riley
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Review: Embittered Justice
Malicious Prosecution and Increasing Rates of Plea Bargaining Prompts Author to Pen Book
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It wasn´t until Riley had the misfortune of spending time in a local court room did she come to realize that there were increasing rates of plea bargaining and malicious prosecution happening at alarming rates, thus the idea for her fiction novel, EMBITTERED JUSTICE, was born.
"I have always been an advocate for people in need," she says. "When your right to speak for yourself is prevented, something has to be done. The story must be told, everyone has a story. Writing has become something I am passionate about and I am working on two other fiction novels."
We interviewed Ms. Riley to find out more about her book which is inspired by a true story of an innocent woman´s fight against a corrupt judicial system.
Thank you for this interview, Michaela. So the idea for your book came about when you spent time in a local court room. What was going on at the time?
Like the character Jennifer Campbell in the book Embittered Justice, I had to prove I was innocent of something I was wrongly accused of doing. It seems the court rooms are filled with repeat offenders and actual criminals. Some defendants knew how to work the system in their favor and had chosen specific lawyers for that purpose. Jennifer Campbell had never been in trouble before and had absolutely no idea how to defend herself against a system that didn´t care about innocence: only the number of convictions. One would think that our right to be innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt is the basis of our judicial system.
Why are innocent people being coerced into plea bargaining instead of fighting for their innocence?
There are many reasons for accepting an agreement instead of fighting; fear, stress, financial difficulty, uncertainty of the outcome. After all if it were that easy to prove your innocence we wouldn´t have people in prison today that are in fact innocent.
I guess you might be wondering why a prosecutor wouldn´t follow the rules. Why they allow a wrongful prosecution or coerce a defendant to accept a plea agreement when there is evidence to prove their innocence? They do it to win! They do it because they won´t get punished.
Your book is based on a true story. Would you like to tell us about that?
Yes, Embittered Justice is based on events of an actual case. Jennifer Campbell had spent her life helping others and being in the military. She moves to Virginia to be near her son and family after completing a tour on active duty. Everything in her life is turned upside down after she buys a home and receives a mysterious package. Jennifer doesn´t know who to trust and begins to search for answers. There is one person pulling all the strings and her fate is sealed. This is the story of an innocent woman desperately fighting to prove her innocence in a judicial system that fails her.
What have been peoples´ reactions to it? Are they appalled that something like this happens and at an alarming rate?
Reactions are varied but many people feel there is a lot of corruption in the judicial system but no one really talks about it. Others have said there must have been something else Jennifer could have done to prove her innocence. A Prosecutor can´t charge a person with a crime they didn´t commit. To really understand the complexities of being accused and fighting to prove your innocence read the book Embittered Justice.
Thank you for this interview, Michaela. Can you tell us how we can purchase your book?
Embittered Justice can be purchased on my website, Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.
You can visit Michaela Riley´s website at www.michaelariley.com.
May 8, 2008
Interview With Author Michaela Riley
Fiction Scribe
http://www.fictionscribe.com/interview-with-author-michaela-riley/
Let’s start with getting to know you a little better. List five things you feel define you as a person.
Hello and welcome to Fiction Scribe, Ms. Riley.
Defining characteristics for me are honesty, integrity, intelligence, compassion and spirituality. When I think of these defining characteristics I am reminded of the things I have learned through training with the military and with my profession as a Registered Nurse. Integrity and Trust are essential ingredients in all areas of my life.
Where did the inspiration for Embittered Justice come from?
Inspiration for the book started when I had the personal misfortune of spending time in a court room. I listened carefully as cases were presented and the fates of defendants were left in the hands of the defense, prosecution and a judge. The types of cases were diverse but the single common element was about making a deal or plea agreement. I watched in horror as the conversations in the hallway were whispered about what a defendant would accept and how lives would be changed forever.
It didn’t seem to matter what the elements of the cases were; only that the outcome was based on the networking experience of the attorney. The secretive proceedings would cast doubt in my mind on the legitimacy of the system that had no respect for the defendant, innocent or guilty. Legal or administrative bodies with strict ruling and secretive proceedings metaphorically are sometimes called star chambers. This term is intended to cast doubt on the legitimacy of proceedings in the judicial system.
Your main character, Jennifer, moves to a tightly knit community in Norfolk, Virginia. Do you have a connection with Virginia? Why that location?
Yes I lived in Norfolk Virginia a few years ago while on Active Duty and wanted to move there again to be close to my son. I chose Norfolk as the main location in Embittered Justice because I had the opportunity to witness the court room proceedings there and I am familiar with the area.
Tell us a bit about Jennifer. Is she a part of you or someone completely different?
Jennifer is definitely part of me and all the characters in the book are similar to people I know. Jennifer Campbell is a Registered Nurse and moves to Virginia to be near her son after a tour on active duty as a mobilized reservist in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Her dream of living near the beach and managing a company come true when she moves to Norfolk.
Mysterious things start to happen to Jennifer when she buys the dream house and her life will never be the same. Jennifer had always been able to deal with any crisis in her life with ease until now. The once stoic woman becomes an emotional wreck and her stable life unravels as she fights for justice. She has never been dependent on anyone in her life but finds that she must accept assistance from those that love her to get through a horrible situation.
What are your dreams for your writing? Where do you see yourself in five years both as a writer and as a person?
My dreams for writing are to be able to write full time and write several books and maybe a movie deal…it is nice to dream. Of course I want to be a best selling author, doesn’t every author have that desire? Through the process of writing Embittered Justice I have discovered my own weaknesses as an author and strive to improve with every book.
What is the most valuable piece of advice you have been given/learned in your life as a writer?
Write the story…get the editing finished when you have it completed. Write the way you speak and the process is much quicker. Don’t worry if your first book isn’t accepted some of the best writer’s books were not accepted…at first. Don’t give up; the world is waiting for your story.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the readers here?
Check out my website at http://www.michaelariley.com and watch the Book Trailer of Embittered Justice. A personal autographed copy is available on my website.
Thank you very much for coming by this blog. I wish you great successes with your tour and Embittered Justice.
Author of New Novel Admits Her Book is Far from Fiction
michaelariley.com - May 29, 2008
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(PRNewsChannel) / Norfolk, Virginia – The author of a new fiction book admits that her work is in fact not made up; that it’s very real and based on her own terrifying life experience. Author Michaela Riley says she wrote Embittered Justice (ISBN: 1424197678 PublishAmerica) as fiction because she feared that the person who framed her for a crime she didn’t commit would extract revenge. “I had no choice but to use a pseudonym and change the names of the people involved in the story,” says Riley. “But everything about what happened is true.” Embittered Justice is the story of Jennifer Campbell, a beautiful and talented woman with ambition and drive to succeed in corporate America. She had just moved to Virginia, bought a house on the beach and found the comfort and serenity she had for years been longing. Then, one day, she receives a phone call. The man on the phone tells her to get away and hide. That she could not trust anyone including the police. Embittered Justice is the story of how Jennifer is set up for crime. A politically well-connected acquaintance who wants revenge plants illegal weapons and ammunition in her home and calls authorities so she’d be arrested and humiliated. Riley says she is Jennifer Campbell and that story is what happened to her. The author says after spending tens of thousands of dollars on lawyers, she had no choice but to plead guilty to a felony or risk being convicted and going to prison for years. “I was living a very normal life and was never arrested for anything when this happened,” says Riley. “It’s scary but this could happen to anyone.” Riley says she began writing the book while spending a few days in jail and hours in court hearings. She had intended it as a non-fiction book, but her lawyers cautioned her about the risks of litigation. “I know speaking out now is somewhat risky,” says Riley. “But people need to know that this stuff happens. It’s not just a Hollywood tale. This is real.” Riley hopes that by sharing her story she can educate the public about the injustices that exist in the legal system. Media Contact: Michaela Riley This press release was written by PressReleasePros.com.
Email: authormichaelariley@gmail.com
Phone: (904)472-7034
Web site: www.michaelariley.com
To view this press release online: http://www.prnewschannel.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=573&z=9
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Source Web Site: michaelariley.com
© 2008 Michaela Riley 
